How We Do Things
by Vincent the Sheep
Summary: With all the down time in the world, Rocket takes an interest in what Peter does for fun (other than the usual dancing and singing), and embarks on a valiant quest to learn everything there is to know about his Terran teammate, and Peter returning the favor.
1. Boredom

In the midst of an entire galaxy, the Milano hung in orbit drifting off into space, alone in peace and away from trouble. The headquarters of the Guardians of the Galaxy now had a peaceful ambiance, and each member had all the time they needed to relax, and Rocket hated it.

Sitting in the living room, the cybernetic raccoon leaned against the couch and stared up into the ceiling, fiddling with a prototype battery. After the Infinity orb fiasco had came and passed, things had become fairly docile within the galaxy. Only the occasional freelance bounty mission came along, but after a few months even that became a meager occurrence; taking down a couple of thugs came nowhere near as exciting, or challenging, as fighting Ronan had, and without the danger the missions just lost the fun, or at least in Rocket's opinion it did.

What was hard to believe was that no-one else seemed to mind. Peter continued happily listening and dancing to his cassette tapes, Gamora and Drax both seemed content to wait for the next mission or contract, ultimately the one involving Thanos, and Groot was just...Groot. Rocket himself didn't mind either, initially at least. The lack of serious criminal activity had, in fact, freed up most of Rocket's spare time to build, maintain, repair and improve the spaceship's mechanics and technology, making the usual improvements 'here and there' at his own leisure. The problem was, that was all Rocket could actually do.

And so Rocket sat, staring up and around the room, looking for inspiration on what he could do. His thoughts hadn't given him very many options; he couldn't exactly take up a new hobby, unless he asked Quill for some dancing lessons.

_God, I can't be that desperate, can I? _

Rocket mentally shook his head, even as a last resort he'd barely consider it.

_What else?_

He could always strike up a conversation with Groot; it's not like the little guy had much to do either. Rocket looked over to the where the tiny plant creature stood, Groot had grown quite a bit over the few months since the "incident", Rocket had always noticed, but not enough to walk freely and safely outside his pot. It wasn't the worst idea in the world.

_But what would we even talk about? I already know the guy inside out. Besides, I'm not a conversation guy; I hardly have anything interesting to talk about._

Groot noticed Rocket, and smiled back, waving one of his hands in response.

"I am Groot."

"Nothing much." Rocket replied with a sigh. "I'm just bored, that's all."

"I am Groot."

"Yeah, but I've already fixed everything that needs to be fixed, I've messed with the desktop wallpapers of everybody on this ship and now I've made enough batteries to power an entire Nova Corps fleet. I've got nothing else to do!"

Groot hardened his expression in thought. Only a few seconds later he came up with an idea: "I am Groot!"

Rocket gave him a look, then grimaced away. "Uh, maybe not the best idea."

"I am Groot?"

"You know how I am with people, especially with..."

"I am Groot."

"Yeah yeah, I know. I gotta try new things." Rocket folded his arms with a. "Doesn't mean I'm gonna enjoy it, ya know."

"I am Groot."

"Yes, we will see." Rocket stood up. "If I mess everything up, which I probably will, I'm gonna blame it on you."

"I am Groot." The small plant creature replied, with a satisfied grin on his face.

Rocket turned and made his way back to the ship cabin rooms, another change made to the Milano during the recent months, after Peter had realized that the spaceship wouldn't be holding just the one or two people living there, but five. Everyone had a fairly similar room in terms of space, with the exception of Groot, ironically, whose room was made for when the tree creature grew back to full size. Rocket had been very surprised when he first saw his room, in fact it was one of his fonder memories. Not only did he have a decent place to live in, for the first time, it was a way of saying how much the group wanted him to stay, and the size of it implied that they treated Rocket like a proper person would be treated. It had really touched him.

_Not that I'd tell 'em that._

Rocket had made it to front door of Peter's cabin, but hesitated. For about a minute he stood there, trying to think of a reason not to knock on the door. Surprisingly, nothing came.

_I'm gonna look like such a jackass..._

Rocket knocked on the door, waited until he heard a "Come in!" from the other side and went inside.

Peter sat up from his bed with a slight look of surprise. "Hey, Rocket!" His face changed to a grin. "I never took you for a 'knocking' person."

_Play it cool._

Rocket managed to smile back, leaning against the door frame. "I'm guess I'm full of surprises..."

"Aren't we all?" Peter laughed, turning himself to face his crew mate. "So what's up, Ranger Rick?"

"Well I..." Rocket started, but then paused.

_How the hell do I word this?_

"I...I was bored and..." Rocket continued, getting the words out slowly.

"Yeah?"

"I was wondering if...well..."

"Go on..." Peter urged.

"I was wondering if... you'd wanna hang out someplace, or do somethin'..." Rocket looked down, unable to look Quill in the eyes . "I mean, it's not like we're busy or anything..."

"That sounds fantastic!"

Rocket looked back up. "Really?"

"Yeah, of course!" Peter couldn't have looked more excited, and Rocket wasn't one hundred percent certain if that was a good thing. "What did you have in mind? Anything you enjoy doing?"

_Not really. Outside the building, shooting and drinking, I'm not good at much._

"I was thinking you might have an idea, that doesn't involve dancing or singing for that matter."

Peter made an exaggerated gasp, and put his hand to his chest in mock offence. "But that's all I do around here! Other than flying this ship like a bad-ass, of course."

Rocket rolled his eyes. "So we've got absolutely nothing do then..."

"Of course we do! Just not in here..." Peter smiled in return. "Question is, would you be down for a completely unprepared impromptu day trip to a planet you've never even seen?"

_Flark it._ "Sure, why the hell not?"

"Sweet!" Peter stood up from the bed. "You know, it's about time we had our own vacation, and what better opportunity to show off my home planet to you guys?"

"I guess it's better than doing nothing."

"Anything's better than nothing, Rocky. That's why we have to seize the day!" Peter was at the door by this time. "I'll tell Drax and Gams what's happening, and you gotta to be the one to tell Groot, ok?"

Rocket nodded. "Alrighty then." And with that, Peter left through the corridor, a cheerful skip in his step.

When Peter was out of sight, Rocket pressed his hands to his face.

_Who the hell says 'alrighty', you idiot?_

It could have gone much worse though, with Rocket's expectations. At least Peter didn't laugh at him or his suggestion, or make a smart-ass comment about his boredom; in fact, he seemed overjoyed with the idea.

Rocket made his way back to the living room, and sat back down on the couch. Groot sat smugly, as if he already knew Peter's response.

"I am Groot."

"Yeah, you were right after all, and now because of you, we're heading to Terra!"

"I am Groot."

"It could be fun, I guess. If I don't manage to screw things up."

"I am Groot."

"A LOT of things could go wrong!"

"I am Groot."

"Ok, now you're being a smart-ass."

"I am Groot."

"I know..." Rocket looked back up the ceiling . "I should be thanking you, Groot, you've always been a pal to me. At least I ain't bored anymore!" Rocket made a chuckle.

_Not bored, but sure as hell nervous._

* * *

**So yeah, first GOTG fanfic, and it's a slash; well, at least later it will be. For all those still interested, I assure you that more chapters will be coming, just don't expect them to be there within a week. All good things take time, and I want this story to be as good as it can be.**

**Hope you enjoyed the read.**

**-V**


	2. Excitement and Anxiety

After Peter had called a "team meeting" with Gamora and Drax to announce the news of a "vacation" to Earth, the initial reactions of the two Guardians was somewhat mixed.

Drax was the first to reply, looking up as he continued carving a blade. "What is this 'vacation' you speak of, friend Quill? And what matter is it to us?"

"Well…it's when you decide not to work, or in our case not protect the galaxy, for a short amount of time to get some rest."

"But we do not need to rest." Drax frowned in confusion. "We do not take very many bounties as it is, and we cannot attack Thanos until our tree friend grows his strength back..."

"Yeah, but I was thinking we could do something different, you know, explore a bit more of the universe, hang out in a not-so-professional manner, and it'd give me an excuse to show you guys where I come from!"

_And see for myself what's changed about the place._

Gamora made a small smile. "I for one, definitely approve of the idea. We clearly need the rest, and I'd prefer to lie down and relax, rather than anxiously await the next contract or _pirate_ attack."

"That was one time!" Peter objected.

"And it could happen again any time. Hence why I agree with your idea. Especially if it involves travelling to Terra."

"Alright, sweet!" Peter grinned, turning to Drax. "What do you say, Drax?"

Drax nodded. "When friend Gamora says it like that, it makes fair sense. I may be able to fight a thousand more men if needed, but I too, wish to rest. That is what I say."

"Cool! I'll set course for Terra then." Peter put both his thumbs up, and made his way out of the planning room. _This is gonna be awesome._

It would take some time getting to Earth, Peter fully knew that, considering the distance between the planet and their current location, it would take years by Peter's estimate, even at full speed. However, Peter also knew the solution; dubbed with the name "Wormhole" as Rocket's proudest feat of engineering, the Milano finally had a warp drive.

_It would have cost a fortune on the market, if we even found one that size. Thank god Rocket's on our side._

The relationship Peter had with the rest of the Guardians had founded on less-friendly terms; all were fugitives of the Klyn, and all had sought after money or revenge, using each other along with the Infinity Orb as means of doing so. Naturally, complications arose.

_And now we're saviors of the Galaxy because of it. Weird how things work out._

After what had happened with Ronan, Peter made it a priority to befriend everybody on the team, secretly hoping they'd never have to go their separate ways after all they'd been through together. Luckily for him, nobody wanted to leave, and since then everybody had put in their two-cents of interesting quirks; Gamora having a profound interest in Terran music and culture, Drax's confusion over expressions and metaphors, while also being surprisingly compassionate for someone with such a hideous past, and Groot for being, well, Groot. The one who had struck Peter the most, however, was Rocket.

Peter remembered a brief part of his childhood where he spent watching animated Disney movies; the ones with catchy songs and talking animals, and taking a liking to them. All that time he watched in fascination, never imagining he'd see anything like it in his life, not in the real world.

Then Peter meet Rocket, an anthropomorphic raccoon with a knack for technology, and also a bounty hunter, he'd quickly find out.

_Rocket may have been a talking raccoon, but he sure as hell wasn't a Disney character._

Despite the rough start, the two of them became quick acquaintances, and after a few weeks, friends. Peter found himself enjoying Rocket's company a great deal, sometimes even more than the others, which he suspected was due to their shared interest in space tech, along with Rocket's smart-mouthed humor and wit, which Peter could never fault in anyone.

They had their disagreements at times, from the next upgrade on the Milano to the volume of Peter's music, but it never really ruined things between them; as a matter of fact, it only made Peter admire Rocket's intelligence and stubbornness that much more. Their friendship felt honest that way, and Peter could only hope Rocket felt that way too.

It was clear that Rocket had lived solo with Groot for most of his life, as Peter noticed his hesitance to socializing with other crew members, except for Groot. If his drunk ramblings back on Knowhere were any indication, Rocket had also lived a twisted past, _Hell, we all did, now that I think about it,_ and Peter feared that was having an effect on Rocket even now. It was a matter Peter didn't want to press, but hoped that one day Rocket would open up to.

Peter climbed up into the cockpit, jumping in the main pilot's chair and setting the co-ordinates for his home planet, making sure there were no planets, asteroids or space stations in the way. As he was about to engage the warp drive, he paused.

"Hey Rocket!" Peter called down to the lower compartments. "Could you come up here for a minute?"

Within seconds Rocket appeared, poking his head out from the top of the ladder. "Sure, what's up?"

Peter smiled, getting up from his seat. "I'm starting up the ship for our trip to Terra. But I thought you should have the honor of starting up the Wormhole."

Rocket blinked. "Uh…ok sure, no problem. I mean…you didn't have to ask, it's no big deal…"

"You built an entire warp drive for my ship, for free. That's a pretty big deal in my book."

"Alright alright, I'll start the damn warp drive." Rocket climbed up and sat himself in the master chair. "You do realize we've never tried this before? What if it doesn't work, what if it-"

"It'll work, Rocket. I have faith in your inventions, especially one you worked so hard on."

"If you say so…" Rocket typed the commands into the keyboard. "It should start up right about…"

The ship shook immensely before propelling forward into space, speeding faster than Peter had ever seen, or felt.

"Hell yeah!" Peter threw a fist into the air and patted Rocket on the back. "What'd I say? I knew it would work!"

Rocket spun around, also showing a smirk. "Well, of course it worked. I made it, after all!"

"That you did." Peter choose a chair next to Rocket and sat down. "How long do you reckon it'll take us?"

"What, the journey?" Rocket furrowed his brow as he looked backed at the controls. "Taking into account the distance, and the speed we're going, by my guestimate we'll be there…oh flark."

_Uh oh. _Peter shifted in his chair. "What's up?"

Rocket spun his chair to face Peter even more. "Even with the Wormhole's speed, it's gonna take us a couple of days to get there."

Peter leaned back in slight relief."A few days? That's not so bad."

"Are you kidding me? What the hell are we gonna do in that time?"

Peter shrugged. "I'm sure we'll figure something out."

"Like what?"

"I dunno." _Don't suggest dancing. Don't suggest dancing. _"Conversations like these are normally a good start!" Peter chuckled at the irony, but mentally kicked himself for the lame response.

Rocket made a small huff in return, smile barely visible. "Yeah, I guess so."

They sat in silence for what seemed like half an hour, Peter desperately trying to come up with something witty or interesting. Before anything came, Rocket spoke up again.

"Ok, I get that it's your home planet and all, but what makes Terra so interestin' that you wanna come back all of a sudden?" The raccoon folded his arms back with a look of puzzlement. "I mean, you haven't been there for years, am I right?"

"Yep…" Peter replied, looking at the floor. "Haven't been there since…" _The hospital…and Mom… _"…I was about ten."

"Wait, so that would make it…"

"About twenty six years." Peter finished.

"Twenty six-what?!" Rocket leaned forward with a shocked look on his face, arms now at the side of his chair. "You can't be serious…"

"I am," Peter made a smile. "It's been a while."

"Then why go now, if you haven't been in such a long time? For all we know, Terra could've completely changed by now!"

"Well, I didn't have a warp drive until a few weeks ago…"

"But…" Rocket paused, leaned back, and then spoke in an unusually soft tone. "That's not the only reason though, is it?"

Peter blinked. _How did he... _"What makes you say that, Rocky?" He replied, trying to smirk.

Rocket smirked in return, rolling his eyes. "Ok, now I definitely know you're lying."

"What?! No I'm not!"

"You are so!" Rocket pointed at Peter, then dropped his hand and sighed. "I'm sure it's for a good reason though, so you don't have to tell me…"

"I…" Peter faltered, looking down at the floor, unable to make a clever reply, nor admit the truth. _I was too scared to go by myself._

"Hey, it's fine man. Forget I said anything, it's none of my damn bus-"

"No…" Peter mumbled. "You deserve to know…" _Here goes nothing. _

Peter spoke up. "Before I left Earth, I mean Terra, my…Mom…she passed away." Peter managed to keep himself composed. "I…couldn't believe what had happened, so I just ran the hell out of there, out of that damn hospital, away from my family. It was the last I ever saw of them before I was kidnapped by Yondu and his Ravagers."

There was a moment of pause when Peter looked back up at Rocket. "It happened a long time ago, I know. But it's still something that gets me, you know?"

After Peter had finished, it was Rocket's turn to lack a witty comeback. "I-uh. I don't know what to say, Quill…Shit man." His face was solemn, with a sincerity Peter had never believed he would see in his teammate.

_Then again, this is the first time I dropped the "family bomb" on anyone, let alone Rocket. Talk about a turn in conversation._

"Don't worry about it." Peter smiled. "At least now I don't have to face all that alone, nor make a ten year journey to get there, thanks to you guys!" Peter laughed again, this time honestly. _Man, it feels great to have that off my chest…_

Rocket smiled back. "Like you said, no big deal. I mean seriously, I could've done that warp drive in a day if I felt like it!"

_The scary thing is, he probably could. Thank GOD Rocket's on our side. _"Exactly! Where the hell would I be without you, Rocket?" _Down one teammate, down one friend, and dead._

For a second Rocket seemed genuinely surprised at the comment, but quickly followed with a grin. "Living the most boring, meaningless life imaginable, I'd say."

"Pretty much!"

They both laughed for a solid minute, whether it was because of their humorous conversation, or lack of an emotional one, Peter wasn't sure, but it felt good anyway.

Once the laughter had settled down, Rocket spoke up again. "I want to know everything."

It was a simple statement, but it was enough to confuse Peter. "What, about Terra?"

"No-well, I guess that as well, but…" The raccoon paused a second, then mumbled in a quiet tone "I want to know everything about _you_."

Peter almost fell off his chair. _Definitely wasn't expecting THAT. _"I…wow, really?" Peter asked, astonished. _Maybe he's just joking around…_

Rocket made a shrug. "Well…yeah, I mean…you keep telling us that we need to spend more time 'bonding' and 'getting to know each other' 'cause it's important for our teamwork and morale and…" Rocket stopped, noticing how fast he was talking, and relaxed slightly. "I'm just saying…ya know…I'm down for that, getting to know you more I mean."

Peter's mind exploded. _Oh my god, he's actually serious! Rocket really does care…_

"I…I don't know what to say, Rocket…" Peter started, with a hint of emotion. He had a few ideas of what to say, but didn't want to risk gushing at his friend._ Not yet anyway…_

"Yeah I know, it's a stupid thing to say." Rocket stood up from his chair, turning to leave. "Forget I said anything."

_Oh no you don't. _Peter leaped up from his chair. "Rocket wait."

The raccoon stopped with a sigh. "What is it, Quill?

Peter let out a little more emotion in his smile. "No-one's ever said that to me before, only my Mom…"

Rocket turned his head and made a slight huff. "You're lying again."

"No I'm not!" Peter insisted. "I never lie about things like that…but even if I was-which I'm not-it still means a lot to me, especially coming from you."

Rocket blinked, but then made a small smile. "Thanks, Quill." When he made it to the ladder, Rocket turned to properly face Peter. "I'm gonna get some rest so…see you tomorrow, I guess."

"See you around." Peter waved with a weak smile. _Now that he mentions it, I feel exhausted…_

It wasn't long until Peter called Gamora and Drax to take the shift for piloting the ship, and thanking them immensely for doing so. _At least they have the energy to do it, who knew a conversation could be so tiring?_

Peter reached his room with little effort, changed his clothes, and then collapsed on his bed. His eyes had no trouble staying shut, but his thoughts still lingered, one standing out over the others.

"_I want to know everything about you."_

It was the nicest thing Rocket had ever said to him, and Peter wondered if he'd ever have the courage to say the exact same thing back to his unknowing crush.


	3. Sleep

_What the HELL were you thinking?! _The raccoon tossed in his bed, cursing himself silently in the darkness of his cabin.

The conversation with Peter still lingered in Rocket's mind, only having happened an hour or so ago. It started off well, with the friendly atmosphere that always seemed to follow Peter around and Rocket enjoyed the talk. Perhaps too much, Rocket feared.

_Asking a friend to hang out is one thing. _Rocket pressed his face against a pillow. _But telling him you want to "know everything" about them? That's just….weird!_

Rocket rolled over to his side. Strangely enough, Peter had been unfazed by the comment, _thank god_, and Rocket managed to keep his cool because of it. Even stranger, Peter had _thanked _Rocket as if it was a compliment, _which I suppose it was…but still! I sounded like a complete stalker._

It was a relief to say the least, but left the cybernetic biped in a state of disbelief and confusion nonetheless. _I'll have to talk to Pe-Quill about it, once I get some sleep. _

Whether Rocket would be able to sleep tonight was another concern, not to mention what he'd have to face when he did.

Every so often, the nightmares, _no, memories, _would visit Rocket when he slept. Rocket could never be sure how or when the visions would come, but every single time they did, he was never prepared. The dreams would vary; some took Rocket back to a lab, his birthplace, his _prison_, memories of lab experiments and testing still tormenting him to this day. Other dreams however, wouldn't project Rocket's worst memories, but one of Rocket's worst fears.

The fear of failure. The fear of failing his team, his friends, always gnawing at the back of Rocket's mind. At times, Rocket felt that those dreams were even worse than the memories; not because it had happened, but that it _might_, one day. That possibility alone terrified Rocket.

And now, they were on a journey to Terra, Peter's home planet, and Rocket knew little to nothing about any of it. _It's got people who look like Quill, that's a start. God, what the hell am I gonna do? I know nothing about the damn planet, how the hell am I-oh…_

Rocket immediately sat up in his bed, and grabbed his personal tablet from the bedside table, sleep forgotten.

_Knowledge is power, so they say, and I'm gonna need as much as I can get._

* * *

Peter took his time waking up as well as he did any other morning, every minute procrastinating from getting out of bed.

Unlike other mornings however, there was nothing urgent to prepare for; no bad guys, no bounties, and now no more commitments to think about. Just a cruise to Earth to hang out with a couple of friends, Peter could think of worse ways to spend his time. This time, he could finally have time to relax and stay in bed for a while.

_Nobody yelling at me to get out of-_

"Yo Quill!" There was a knocking at his door. "It's Rocket."

_Oh well. I guess you can't have everything._

"Hey Rock, what's going on?" Peter replied, as alert as he could.

"If yer not busy sleeping yourself to death, could you meet me at the lunch room? I need your help with somethin'."

"Alright sure." Peter yawned as he sat up. "Just give me a minute."

Changing into another set of clothes, Peter left his room promptly through the hall.

_Good thing we're meeting in the lunchroom, I'm starving._

As Peter entered the room however, the first thing he noticed made him forget about his hunger.

Rocket looked awful, Peter could see that from across the room. Staring down blankly at a tablet, Rocket slumped in his seat, gripping weakly

As Rocket looked up as his teammate, Peter noticed the dark circles forming under his eyes. "Heya Quill…" The raccoon tried to hide a yawn. "How's it goin'?"

His posture told Peter everything. _He's half asleep. _"Rocket…" Peter started, as casually as he could... "Man…are you ok? You look kinda…"

"Tired?" Rocket finished, immediately straightening himself up. "Nah, I'm fine, really I am…" Another yawn. "I've got this coffee ta keep me going. I'll be ok." Rocket took a sip to prove his point. "See?"

It was only a second later when Peter noticed it. "Rocket, I don't see anything in the mug. You're drinking thin air."

Rocket blinked, looked back down at the mug, and replied "Oooh…" before collapsing forward onto the table.

"Rocket?"

A few seconds passed, and it was clear to Peter that his friend wasn't getting up any time soon.

_Check that, he's completely asleep._

The comic timing of it all amused Peter, as he suppressed a laugh to avoid waking any of his crewmates, most of all Rocket. It was such a rare thing to see: an anthropomorphic raccoon dozing off with a cup of pretend coffee, that Peter was tempted to leave him there, in hopes of not ruining the picture perfect moment.

_I should take a couple of pictures, maybe even draw something on his face..._

Countless possibilities filled Peter's head, each one more entertaining than the last, until a softer part of him raised its voice.

_Rocket's never pranked me before, nor given me a reason to for that matter. _Peter bit his lip uncertainly. _And it's kind of a dick move, getting him while he's down and sleeping, not really fair either. _

Peter's kinder side won over. _I can always prank him another day, just not like this. _The terran moved cautiously to the side of where Rocket was sitting, and gave him a nudge.

Peter spoke in a voice just louder than a whisper. "Hey Rock, you ok?" After no reply, he repeated the process with a stronger nudge, still nothing happened.

_Nope, he's not gonna be up for a while. Now what? _Peter's first thought was to simply leave Rocket to wake himself up, but for some reason that also seemed like a bad idea.

_I can't just leave him sleeping here at the lunch table! _If Rocket needed rest, Peter conceded it'd be better for him to do it comfortably. There was only one thing Peter could think to do in that case.

_Here goes nothing…_

Without any more hesitation, Peter scooped Rocket up in his arms, praying to god that nobody was present to watch. Rocket was surprisingly light, as Peter took little effort in carrying him to his room, keeping mindful of the sleeping Groot in the room.

_If Rocket knew what I was doing right now, he'd KILL me._

Peter set the raccoon down on his bed, pulling the covers over him before turning to leave the room. The terran turned again to take one last look at the sleeping biped, and smiled.

_Totally worth it, though._

Peter returned to the kitchen, his hunger finally returning to him. Improvising a sandwich from what he could find, Peter sat down at the table to eat his breakfast, all the while musing over what had just happened.

* * *

Rocket couldn't remember how he fell asleep, and didn't bother trying to. All that mattered to Rocket was where he was right now, and he didn't need his eyes open to recognize his own bed.

Thoughts spun around the raccoon's mind as he let his mind shut down, relishing the relaxation. He only remembered one thing; the feeling of being lifted, held firmly, then suddenly released onto the soft mattress. It was the last thing Rocket recalled, but he recognized the feeling immediately.

_Peter….Peter carried me here, didn't he?_

Rocket yawned, letting the thought pass. It may have gone against Rocket's standards, but in his worn out state, it was the best feeling in the world.


	4. Return

It came as a surprise to Peter when he realized that Rocket's estimation was, in fact, incorrect. The trip to Terra hadn't taken a couple of days, as Rocket had calculated, and instead the _Milano_ found itself near Earth's orbit in only a day.

Peter took to the ship's piloting chair, turning off the auto pilot's alarm system, indicating their arrival. A mixture of emotions hit him, as the Terran gazed in awe at the view of his home planet for the first time in decades. The unique shape of the ocean and continents filled Peter with nostalgia, along with a great deal of nervousness.

Gripping the sides of his chair tightly, Peter contemplated what he was getting himself into. Even after 26 years, the idea of revisiting the planet still made Peter anxious, and bringing his team of misfits only seemed to add even more stress.

If Peter had to be honest with himself; he had no plan whatsoever.

_How the hell do I impress someone with a planet I haven't even seen in years? We're gonna look like a bunch of tourists!_

The Terran sighed again. _I guess I'm gonna have to wing it, won't I?_

Turning on the comms system, Peter put on an enthusiastic tone as he spoke into the mic.

"Attention all passengers! We have sights on Terra, I repeat, we have sights on Terra!"

* * *

Gamora could feel the _Milano _slow to a near stop, as it had countless times before, on countless planets and stations. She sharpened her sword, out of habit rather than necessity, while in the corner of her eye Drax meditated intensely in preparation. Groot sat on a table level to Gamora,

Gamora looked up at the comms speaker in the sparring room in expectance.

_3…2…1…_

"Attention all passengers! We have sights on Terra, I repeat, we have sights on Terra!"

_There we go._

Gamora stood up, facing her opponent. "I guess dueling will have to wait."

Drax frowned, opening his eyes. "This is the first sword-spar we've had in weeks. Surely we do not have to visit our friend Quill now of all times?"

These sessions became more of a pastime than a routine since Gamora turned against Thanos and Ronan, and that made all the difference. No pressure, no needless killing, and most of all, no consequence for failure, what was years of enduring pain became a simple spar with a friend. To Gamora's surprise, Groot had shown to enjoy watching her training with Drax, and came along almost every day to spectate. By Gamora's guess, the fighting was motivating him, in a way, to grow back and rejoin the team as an active member.

_Or maybe he just has nothing better to do. I would, if I was stuck in a pot all day._

"I am Groot!" Groot chirped in enthusiastically, pointing at the exit.

Gamora smiled, taking it as a sign to pick the plant creature up. "You don't have to if you'd rather stay." She made a smirk, already at the door in seconds holding Groot's pot firmly in her hands. "I won't be long, just be ready for a fight when I come back."

That earned a scoff from Drax. "I'm always ready for a fight. It is you who should be preparing for defeat."

Gamora almost laughed as she exited the training room. _He sure has a sense of humor._

The assassin looked down at her tiny teammate. "If things don't go well, I might need your help with the plan. You ready for this?"

"I am Groot!"

_Like I needed to ask._

"Same here."

Memorizing her way around the ship was no difficulty, as Gamora reached the cockpit in record time. Putting Groot and his pot on a shelf, the ex-assassin slipped into the chair next to Peter as silently as she could, and looked out the window.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Gamora spoke, in a louder than normal tone.

Peter attempted to cover up his jump in fright, poorly. "Oh-ah, yeah…It certainly is something."

_He's very jumpy today, something's on his mind._

Nonetheless, Gamora wasted no time to ask questions. "What do you plan on doing once we get to Earth?"

"Well, simple I…" Peter stopped, turning away from Gamora's eyes and sighed. "To be honest, I don't have a clue."

Gamora blinked. "Not even an idea?"

"Nope. I'm stumped. You don't happen to have any ideas, do you?"

Gamora kept a smile inside herself, the plan was working out better than she thought it would. _Perfect._ "Funny you should ask, I do have a suggestion."

Peter looked right back at her. "Seriously?"

Gamora nodded in return. "It seems to me that you only come up with the best plans in life threating situations." She leaned back slightly in the chair. "In this case, I assumed the worst, and came up with a plan of my own."

Peter rolled his eyes slightly. "I'm glad you put so much faith in me." It was a sarcastic tone, but his relief was still obvious. "But seriously, I need to hear this plan before…" The Terran stopped himself again.

"Before what?" Gamora asked, half certain of the answer.

Peter shook his head slightly before answering. "Before everyone else knows that I don't have one…"

Gamora chose this time to reveal her grin. "You mean before Rocket knows you don't have one."

Peter's eyes widened. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Nice try.

"You have feelings for Rocket." Gamora said bluntly.

"What?! Whe-"

Gamora cut him off. "Don't bother, I've seen you around him long enough to know it's the truth. Your emotions told me everything; the way you enjoy talking with him, look out for him, and smile at him is proof enough."

"I am Groot." Groot agreed.

Peter didn't bother replying, admitting defeat in silence. Gamora almost felt bad for telling him, but she knew it had to be done. Now the hard part's over.

Seconds passed before Peter spoke again. "And you're…ok with that?"

Gamora made a gentle face. "Of course I am, something like that would never bother me." Unless he brought home someone like Nebula. "I think you two are made for each other, to be completely honest, and I plan on helping you."

That certainly surprised Peter. "What, with…"

"Yes. This vacation should be an excellent opportunity to bond with Rocket."

Peter made a nervous laugh. "Not that I doubt your skills of persuasion and assasin-y stuff, but that's impossible. I don't even know if he-"

"Exactly, you don't know. But there's only one way to find out, isn't there?"

Peter understood immediately. "You want us to…"

"Once we get to Terra, we'll separate into two groups. Drax and I can drop you, Rocket and Groot off, while we find someplace to stay for ourselves."

"And where exactly are you taking us?"

"You tell me." Gamora looked out into space again, still amazed at the view. "It's your home, after all."

* * *

The sleep had been bliss for Rocket to say the least. No dreams had tormented him, and the following morning was the first time years Rocket had wanted to stay in bed. This moment didn't last, as a voice Rocket could only match to Peter's cheerfully blared on the comms speaker.

"Attention all passengers!"

The raccoon groaned in reply, pulling the covers over his head. _Not now, Quill. Let me sleep._

"We have sights on Terra, I repeat, we have sights on Terra!"

…_Shit._

Rocket nearly hit the ceiling jumping out of his bed, frantically reaching for the wardrobe.

Changing into a cleaner set of clothes, the usual orange jumpsuit, Rocket ran through his head everything he'd researched on Terra the night before. From what he had learned, the population was strictly Terran-based, with a few exceptions of 'mutants' and 'superheroes', famed for their heroic deeds. The planet's technology was modest at best, even at its current form, to the point where space travel was hardly possible.

_How the hell do we fit in, I wonder? We're not even from the same galaxy, for god's sake._

Rocket knew it wasn't going to be any easy task, but then again fitting in was never his forte in the first place, nor any of the Guardians' for that matter. _Except Quill, but even HE doesn't seem to have a plan._

Another thing Rocket knew to keep in mind was Terra's defense force. For a planet so inferior in weapons and defensive technology, at least compared to other planets, Terra certainly wasn't any slouch, Rocket knew that for certain. Even far across the universe, Rocket had heard talks about the recent attacks on the planet, varying from a "inter dimensional-invasion" to a "cybernetic uprising", all of them failed, due to these Terran 'superheroes'. Rocket made a mental note to never judge a planet solely by its technology. Rocket made a note to not mess with any 'avenger' during his stay, if he ever ran into one.

_I never really thought much of humi-Terrans until I ran into Quill. Still, I never expected any of them to defeat entire invasions, let alone have SUPERPOWERS. _

Fully dressed, the Rocket did a final run through his research, gave himself a decent shower-Rocket timed it at exactly 10 minutes- and a self-prep talk before reporting to the piloting area.

_This is just another planet, no problem, right? Yeah, it'll be fine…I hope. _

As Rocket expected, Peter was in the main piloting chair, his usual spot, with Gamora by his side. Even Groot was there, resting on a shelf, and was the first to notice Rocket enter.

"I am Groot!"

Rocket smirked in reply. "Yeah I noticed, no thanks to Quill waking me up."

Peter spun around in response. "Hey-yeah, sorry about that…" For a second the Terran had a guilty look on his face, until it turned into a smile. "Didn't think you'd hear me, sleeping like an angel and all."

Rocket mentally flushed, but kept his composure. _Dammit Quill. _"Yeah well, now I'm awake, so whatd'ya got for me?"

Gamora stood up before Peter could answer, facing Rocket. "Actually Rocket, could you do the landing with Quill for?" The ex-assassin made a smile. "It's been a long shift for me, and I could do with some rest myself."

The way Gamora was asking struck Rocket. _I really don't like that smile._

"Uh-yeah, no problem." Rocket took the seat alongside Peter and spun around to take in the view. The chair was surprisingly cold.

Gamora made a different smile at Peter, more sincere. "If you don't need anything else, I'll be on my way."

Peter gave a wave to Gamora and laughed. "Alright Gams thanks for all your…help."

The pause was enough to surpass Rocket's suspicions.

_Ok, that's it._

Rocket raised an eyebrow, paying special attention to Peter's features. "Is there something I should know about…?"

Peter shook his head. "No, it's nothing, don't worry about it."

_Oh really?_

Rocket made a smile, as laid back as he could. "Ah c'mon man, you can tell me!" Rocket leaned back in his chair. "What're friends for?"

"Trust me, it's nothing, really!" Peter replied in a slightly raised voice, begging to change the subject. "I just stuttered!"

_Like hell you did._

A silence followed, as Rocket looked back at Terra, unable to appreciate the view with one thought on his mind. Rocket spun back to face Peter.

"You and Gamora have a thing, don't you?"

That made Peter jump in his seat. "What?! No, it's not like that at all!"

_Bullshit. _"Oh really?"

"Yes really!"

Rocket rolled his eyes. "Please, I've seen you guys together. You make it too obvious."

"We're just friends, Rocket. Nothing more!"

"I am Groot!" Groot put in.

_Seriously?! _"Oh, you're taking his side now?"

"I am Groot."

Rocket turned back towards to the view, refusing to believe it. _Truth, my ass._ "Whatever man. It's not my place to pry-in on your love-life."

"There's nothing _to_ pry in on! I'm not interested in Gamora, not anymore!"

Rocked huffed in amusement, unconvinced. _Honestly, who is he trying to fool? _"I ain't buying it, Quill."

"Fine, don't believe me." Peter made a sigh of defeat. "Can we please change the subject?"

_Gladly. _Rocket sighed mentally in return. Something about the conversation troubled Rocket; it was an argument Rocket didn't want to win, but refused to lose. Rocket hated the idea of Peter getting 'involved' with someone, but he wasn't exactly sure why. It just _bothered _him.

"Sure." Rocket brought up the control system on his dashboard. "You gotta plan for when we reach Terra?"

Peter calmed down slightly. "Uh-yeah, I do in fact."

_Oh thank god. _Rocket made a smirk. "Really? Let's hear it then!"

"Well…" Peter started slowly. "The gist of it is; you, me and Groot will be dropped off in the United States, where I grew up as a kid for about a week. Gamora and Drax will be visiting some place called…god, I forgot the name. Somewhere in Oceania, I think. Ask Gamora, she had the co-ordinates…"

"Wait…" Rocket cut in, spinning his chair back towards Peter. "Yer not concerned about seeing your old home again? I mean, wouldn't that give you traumatic flashes or something like that?" _I sure as hell would, if I had to go back to Halfworld._

"Not gonna lie, I kinda am…" Peter gave Rocket a sad smile. "It's not an easy thing to do, I think we can all agree on that, I mean the day I left Earth…I wish I could forget about it, but I still sorta _miss_ it, you know? I don't know, it's hard to explain."

"No, that makes sense." Rocket nodded. "Get over the bad memories, and remember the good." _If only I could do that._

"Exactly. Too bad it's easier said than done." Peter made another smile, a slightly different one. "I'm not facing it alone though, thanks to you."

"I am-"

"And Groot of course!" Peter laughed. "But honestly, you being here makes everything so much easier. I don't know what the hell I'd do without you."

Rocket blinked."You're just saying that..."

"I'm serious Rocket, I'd go insane without someone like you to keep me company!"

_Liar, you could have easily picked Gamora over me. _Another voice countered. _Then why didn't he?_

Rocket turned away from Peter to face the controls, grateful to avoid eye contact.

"You're already insane, the way I see it." Rocket risked a smirk in Peter's direction. "Luckily for you so am I." The raccoon gestured towards Terra. "Shall we?"

* * *

Landing on the rural countryside of Terra was no hard task for Peter or Rocket to accomplish. Having made landings on dozens, maybe hundreds, of planets before, this wasn't the first time either of them have landed somewhere with little to no plan whatsoever.

Not that it made easier for Peter's peace of mind. _How the hell are we gonna last a week here? I don't even have a place to LIVE anymore._

The terrain was familiar at least, Peter could remember one or two moments in his early youth that he had spent, dancing and tumbling through the field, once nearly breaking his Walkman in the process. Peter knew better than to land somewhere more urban, like in the city; too much attention would be drawn, and people would ask questions, the last thing Peter wanted.

_I can't risk Rocket and Groot getting…caught because of me. That's priority number one._

Rocket stood up, regarding Peter with a sincere look. "You ready for this? We don't have to-"

"I'll be fine!" Peter replied almost too quickly, swallowing his anxiety. "This is a vacation, remember? We're here to _relax_, let off some steam." Peter stood up from his chair. "Besides, I wanna show you all the cool stuff here when I was a kid!"

_As much as I can, at least. _

As for provisions, Gamora prepared Peter and Rocket each a bag of canned foods, first aid kits, countless water bottles, a few extra for Groot, and even a sleeping bag to last them the week. _You'd think we'd be going on some expedition, with all these with us._

That wasn't all. "There's also the issue of currency." Gamora added. "I've converted a portion of our units into "United States Dollars", in case we need to spend it on anything, souvenirs, perhaps."

God, she's thought of everything.

Peter stared at the money in the bag. "Are you sure we're gonna need this much?" _Where the hell would we spend this anyway? I can't exactly take Rocket to a convenience store…_

Rocket scoffed. "You can't have too much money, Quill."

"I am Groot!"

"I know but…" Peter gestured at his bag again. "Seriously?"

Gamora shrugged. "You never know."

"If you say so." Peter hauled the bag over his shoulder. "Anything else?"

"Only advice." Gamora snuck a wink at the Terran. "Enjoy yourself."

_Oh you…_ "Yeah, no problem! Say bye to Drax for me!" Peter turned, and dashed towards the hanger door, Rocket snickering something to Groot close behind him.

"Shut up!" Peter called behind him.

A minute later the three Guardians waved the _Milano _goodbye as it took off into space at a hundred miles an hour. _Definitely no turning back now._

Rocket was the first to ask. "Well, now what?"

"Now," Peter started walking in a familiar direction. "We find a place to stay."

"Wait…" Rocket followed, keeping up Peter's pace. "Are you telling me we got no place to go? The sun's setting, Quill, we'll freeze our asses off!"

Even Groot was concerned. "I am Groot!"

_That's not my biggest concern. _"Relax, it should be summer here, according to Gamora. The worst thing we'll get is a bunch of mosquito bites."

"What the hell's a mosquito?" Rocket's voice tensed slightly.

"Nothing life-threatening, they just leave bites that itch like a bastard." Peter gained a small level of confidence. _At least I know something about this place. _"Besides, who says we don't have a place to go?"

"Do we?"

"I may have an idea…" _Only one. _"That is, if we're heading in the right direction…"

"Well, we're-…"

On cue, they reached the end of the field, and were greeted with the sight of suburbia. Peter recognized it immediately. "This…this is the street I grew up in…"

It was unforgettable; the way the street curved and the placement of houses side by side, some must have been reconstructed, but others…

Impulsively, Peter ran straight toward the neighborhood, ignoring Rocket's protests for him to slow down. _I have to know…I HAVE to know._

It was a small neighborhood, and everybody seemed to be inside their own homes, not caring in the world what was happening outside.

Peter could not mistake the placement of his own house, even after 26 years. Standing large with the same beige paint it always had, the first thing Peter noticed was a sign; DUE TO DEMOLISH IN-10-DAYS TRESSPASSERS FORBIDDEN.

_I'm surprised the house lasted this long anyway._ Peter walked around towards the back yard, Rocket still following.

"Was this…your place?" Rocket asked quietly, aware of the situation's delicacy.

"Yeah." Peter proceeded onward, until he ran into what he was looking for; a treehouse standing at a decent height above the ground.

"I remember this…" Peter stared up the tree with nostalgia.

"I am Groot."

"The tree's quite young, according to Groot." Rocket gave the tree a gentle push. "It's in sturdy condition…"

"It must've been redone over all these years." Peter started climbing the ladder. "I don't remember it looking _this _good." _How many families could have lived here after mine?_

Reaching the top, Peter found nothing but empty space. _But at least it's private_

"Quite a bit of space up here…" Peter called down. "Should we hang here for the night?" _We have nowhere else to go._

"Hold on." Rocket climbed up, Groot in one hand, and gave the room a once over. "Yeah, sure, why the hell not? I've slept in worse places."

_I'm sure you have. _Peter thought sadly, before perking himself up. "Awesome. Let's not waste any time then!"

After snacking on a portion of food, the two friends rolled out their sleeping bags, Groot settling comfortably in his pot, and tucked in.

Peter decided to sneak a final word in. "Hey Rocket." The Terran whispered.

"Yeah?" Came the reply.

"Thanks. You know, for coming with me."

There was a pause, before the raccoon replied, with an even softer voice. "No problem, Pete."

* * *

**The story has finally landed it's way on Terra/Earth, with a longer chapter to accompany it. Thank you all for following the story, I wish you all the best, and I'll see you next chapter!**

**-V**


	5. Change

The first thing about Terra that took Rocket completely by surprise was the sunlight, blinding him the minute he opened his eyes.

_Ah shit, turn off the lights, will'ya?_

Adjusting to the light took some time, as Rocket began to remember where he was. The wooden floor was surprisingly easy to rest on, especially with the help of the sleeping bag, too big for Rocket's size, but a suitable mattress as well. The night had been colder than Rocket expected from Terra, particularly in the summer, but the sleeping bag, and not to mention Rocket's fur, helped him through that as well.

The sleep itself was another pleasant surprise; Rocket couldn't remember what dream he had, _it definitely wasn't a nightmare, _but it had been a nice one nonetheless.

_Yeah, I guess a week here couldn't hurt..._

Rocket sat up and observed his surroundings, opening his eyes carefully. Groot remained asleep, absorbing the warm rays just a few feet away. Rocket couldn't bring himself to wake his friend up; neither of them knew how long it had been since they had decent sunshine in the morning.

It was a simple, yet decent place to spend the night, but something about the empty space bothered him.

_Where the hell did Quill go?_

Rocket promptly looked around the treehouse, to no avail. Looking outside didn't help either, the vast expands of suburban street and structures giving no hint to where the Terran could be.

Rocket picked a spot in the treehouse and sat down, murmuring to himself quietly. "What am I supposed to do now?" Noticing his tablet, Rocket reached for it and turned on the display. A message alert appeared on the screen: it was from Peter.

_-Hey Rock, I'm heading out for a supply run. Be right back, don't go anywhere!_

Turning off the display, Rocket leaned back and faced the ceiling. "Great. Nothing to do, and no one to talk to." _What supplies could we possibly need anyway?_

Half a metre away, a tiny plant creature yawned. "I am Groot."

_I stand corrected. _Rocket smirked. "Rise and shine, buddy, did ya rest well?"

"I am Groot."

"Yeah, me too, surprisingly. This planet aint half bad with its atmosphere."

Groot nodded in agreement, before gazing at him quizzically. "I am Groot?"

"A whole week? I don't know, I mean this is _nice _and all, but there won't be much to do, if we're cooped up in here."

"I am Groot?"

"Of course we're staying here. It's not like the other Terrans are gonna see me and think 'oh yeah, that's normal.' I'd be all over the media!" Rocket stared down. "They'd see me as a _freak_."

"I am Groot!"

"Yes they would!" Rocket snapped back. "It wouldn't be the first time it's happened either', nor the last for that matter."

"I am Groot."

Rocket sighed. "I know it doesn't matter anymore, it helps having people like Quill around…"

"I heard my name being mentioned…!"

Rocket darted his head in the direction of the voice. _Of all the times you could've arrived…_Rocket calmed himself down.

As expected, Peter poked his head over the top of the platform, making a goofy smile. "What'cha been up to?"

"Just the usual, sitting and staring at nothing." Rocket retorted, looking over to Groot, who had fallen right back asleep. _Weird._ He faced Peter again. "How about you? Any exciting discoveries?"

"Oh god, yes." Peter climbed up, hauling a bag over his shoulder. "You won't believe how much has changed since I was last here. I mean, the technology isn't much compared to what we have, and the music..."

Peter shook his head. "I'm going off topic." Hauling what looked a plastic bag over his shoulder, Peter then sat down next to Rocket, letting out a breath of exhaustion. "This is what I was up to." The Terran gestured towards the bag.

Rocket's curiosity piqued, risking a poke at the bag. "What is it?" The inside felt soft, and couldn't have weighed much. "And why did it take such an effort getting it here?"

"Hey, I had to walk quite the distance to get this stuff." Peter opened up the bag and poured out the contents. A pile of clothes, with varying size and colour, spread out across the floor.

"Is this..?" Rocket started.

"Yep!" Peter grinned. "I mean, our clothes are cool and all, but a little variation couldn't hurt, you know? Besides, we didn't bring anything else to wear, do you really think we're gonna last a week in this?"

_He has a point. _Rocket started pulling some clothes out. "_We _didn't bring anything? You mean, some of this stuff's for me?"

"What do you-of course man!" Peter carefully poured the contents onto the floor between them, and started sorting them into two piles. "I wasn't exactly sure of your size, so some might be a little…big."

Rocket stared at the pile. "Flark, do we really need _all _of this? How much did this all cost?"

Peter shrugged. "Can't remember, but we're loaded anyway. Besides, I thought we could take some of this back to the _Milano_…" Peter picked up what looked like a hooded jacket and tossed it at Rocket. "Here."

Rocket barely caught it in time and held it out so he could see, feeling the leather in the sleeves. It was a typical jacket, pockets and all, but included a grey hood for extra measure.

What caught Rocket's attention was the size. _A bit big, put pretty damn close to fitting. _"Where the hell d'ya find a size like this?" _It certainly couldn't fit anyone like Quill. _"I didn't know Terrans could tailor for "raccoons".

"Well…"Peter put a hand behind his neck. "I just went to the store, found what looked like your size, and just went with it…"

"Oh really?" The raccoon raised an eyebrow. _You're too afraid to say it, that's cute. _"I don't suppose there's a label somewhere here that says "small-child size", is there?"

Peter blinked.

"I knew it…"Rocket shook his head and looked back at the rest of the clothes. Noticing an orange shirt, the raccoon made a chuckle. "At least you picked the right colours."

Peter laughed. "Thought I'd play it safe. Even if they didn't fit, at least the style suits you!"

"Hey, who knows? I might hit a growth spurt!" _One can dream…_

"Or gain a couple of pounds…"

"Oh screw you!" Rocket threw the hoodie right back at Peter, aiming for the face. Peter retaliated, throwing a pair of jeans right back at Rocket, and in seconds both were laughing like lunatics, throwing clothes in an improvised firefight. There wasn't much room to move, but Rocket made the most of it, dodging Peter's attacks and countering with his own flurry of projectiles, at one point tackling Quill in the process.

By the end of it all, the entire floor of the treehouse was covered by messed up piles of Terran clothing, carpeting the floor in multiple colours. Peter and Rocket both took a moment to rest, sitting down in the mess they made.

_That was…surprisingly fun. _

Peter was the first to speak, laughing softly between pants. "Wow…who knew you could get worn out by throwing clothes?"

Rocket made his own effort to suppress his exhaustion. "Was that a freaking pun?"

Peter paused to consider what he'd said, then laughed even louder. "Oh my god, it was!"

The raccoon rolled his eyes. "Dork."

"Hey! I wasn't the one who mentioned it…"

"Shut up."

Peter picked himself up, still grinning like a fool. "C'mon, let's tidy this up."

Rocket complied, gathering all the clothes he could find around him. It was obvious which clothes belonged to whom, as they made two piles, one much larger than the other.

"What're we gonna do with this stuff anyway?" Rocket asked, adding a smirk. "Besides using it for sparring equipment, of course."

"Well, we could try some of these on, to see if they actually fit you, I can always go back and get another size, then once Gamrora and Drax come back to pick us up, we could take this stuff with us, you know, for the road…" Peter paused. "Also, I was thinking that we could…you know…go out for a bit…tonight maybe…"

Rocket certainly didn't expect that, as he regarded Peter with an uncertain look. _He can't be serious._ "What, really?"

"Yeah, of course man!" Peter reflected Rocket's troubled look. "You didn't seriously think we'd stay here for an entire week, did you?"

"Well no, but…" Rocket gestured to himself. _C'mon Quill, you're smart. Don't make me explain myself."_

Peter picked up on the hint quickly enough. "I…considered that problem too…" Peter's face turned from a sympathetic expression to a hopeful one. "Which is why I was hoping we could try on some of the clothes now, before we make any further decisions."

"How're some _clothes _gonna-oh…" _You clever bastard._

"Yeah…" Peter nodded. "I don't know if they'll fit you _perfectly, _but even if they don't, it might help you, you know...fit in a little."

It seemed like a good plan, but Rocket knew better to ignore its faults. "Wait, even _if _these clothes fit me, people will still notice that I have, oh I don't know, a _tail_? I can't just shove it in some pants, it'll stick out!"

"_Which _is why we're gonna leave it hanging out, cut a hole in one of the pants or something." Peter smiled, as if he could read Rocket's mind. "Believe it or not, us Terrans tend to ignore little details like that, they might think it's a costume for Comic-Con or something, or even a party...The hooded jacket should help hide any _noticeable _details that you're a talking raccoon."

"You really think so?" _And what the hell's Comic-Con?_

"Only one way to be sure. You up for it?"

_It sounds like a crazy idea, but I trust you. _"What the hell, let's give it a shot."

"Great!" The Terran gave Rocket an encouraged smile and made for the exit, picking some clothes from his pile to take with him. "I'll leave you to change, call me up when you're done, ok?"

"Sure."

With that, Peter leaped out the exit, leaving Rocket to his privacy. Turning to face Groot, still asleep, and gave him a sigh. "Now I'm really in the deep end, aren't I?" Groot only replied with a miniature snore.

"Yep," Rocket gave his pile of clothes a look, before pulling some out, considering what would cover him best, and for some reason, what looked nice to him.

* * *

Landing on the ground hard, Peter wasted no time changing into his own assortment of clothes, picked carefully to suit Earth's modern era. Peter knew the risk of getting caught by a nosy neighbour, but decided that it was better that _he _was seen than Rocket, safely hidden in the treehouse.

The denim jeans and red t-shirt weren't hard choices for Peter, and the jackets sold at the nearest clothes shop were eerily similar to what Peter already had, so he simply picked brown leather. Settling with the same shoes he always wore, Peter sat at the foot of the tree to wait for Rocket.

As if on cue, Peter heard a call coming from above him. "Hey, Quill?"

Peter looked up. "Yeah, what's up?"

"Didn't you say it was _summer _here? I mean, these clothes cover me well and all, but wouldn't we, you know, _pass out_ from the heat?"

"Oh yeah, about that…" _I completely forgot to tell him. _"I think Gamora made a mistake about it being summer here…"

"What?! Gamora was actually wrong about something?"

"I know, crazy. I overheard people talking about the cold weather while I was out. They said it was snowing in some areas, and that it was 'one hell of a winter.'"

"Really?" Peter could hear Rocket considering the idea. "Makes sense I suppose, I certainly don't _feel hot_…How the hell could Gamora screw a detail like that up?"

"Different seasons, different places." Peter answered. "If its winter here, it should be summer in the Pacific, where Gamora and Drax are staying…she must've confused her season with ours."

"Oh…Do you think it'll snow here?"

"It's only the beginning of winter, so I doubt it." _I can't believe we're making small talk about the goddamn weather. _"How're you going up there, Ranger?"

"I'm nearly done, don't be impatient! I'm just finishing the pants…"

Peter waited for another minute before the raccoon called back. "Alright I'm done, you can check me out now!"

_I always do-no, bad thought! Bad thought! _Peter promptly climbed up the ladder, containing a small amount of excitement to see Rocket in Terran clothes.

Poking his head over the top in his usual fashion, Peter wasn't disappointed with what he saw. The leather jacket and hood suited his teammate well, the orange shirt asserted Rocket's own taste in style and the black track pants made a nice finish, with another streak of orange down the sides. The clothes certainly looked big on the raccoon, but still made a nice fit from Peter's perspective.

Rocket gestured at himself in his new attire. "Whatd'ya think? Be honest, does it look stupid?"

_Don't be TOO honest. _Peter gave a moderate nod and smile. "I like it, not too big, could definitely pass for a Terran with that hood up…" Peter climbed up, giving Rocket one last look. "Yep, I definitely made the right choice with these clothes!"

"Are ya sure people won't notice the tail?"

"Who cares if they do? It's not their business anway!"

Rocket made a small smile. "Yeah, I guess so." The raccoon pulled his hood over his head, covering his ears. "We gonna do this or what?"

_God, he looks good in that. _Peter looked over Rocket's shoulder, noticing Groot. "Is Groot gonna come along…or should we let him sleep?"

Rocket looked over in Groot's direction. "He's been like that ever since you got back…I tried to wake him, but he wouldn't budge." Rocket looked back at Peter. "He should be fine, as long as he has some light, we're not gonna be _that _long, are we?"

"Nah, we're just going around the neighbourhood, maybe a bit further..." _What the hell, Groot? You were gonna be my backup…_ "We'll be back in a few hours, tops."

"Alright, no problems then! Let's go!"

Rocket lead the way, jumping out of the treehouse into the world, Peter following quickly. "Hey, wait up! Do you even know where we're going?"

"Nope! That's why you're gonna have to pick up the pace!"

_Oh for the love of…this raccoon's gonna be the death of me…_"Oh, you're gonna regret saying that." Peter picked up his pace, and within seconds, tackled his friend to the ground.

* * *

Groot waited until his friends were out of hearing range, before stretching his arms out and opening his eyes. Faking rest was a surprisingly difficult task, even if Groot had little else to do, but he knew it needed to be done, for Peter's sake, and hopefully Rocket's too. Rocket certainly seemed happier when he was around Peter, smiling more than usual and even laughing from time to time, a major improvement from a few months before.

The two were right for each other, Groot knew that much, but whether Rocket shared similar feelings was all up to speculation. Regardless, Groot would stick to Gamora's plan; leaving Peter and Rocket by themselves to figure each other out. It could go either way, but Groot knew better than to interfere with such matters.

Groot relaxed himself, content with the nature surrounding him. Whether Rocket loved Peter back was uncertain at this point, but the Terran made him _happy_ at least.

As far as Groot was concerned, that was what mattered most.

* * *

**This story's going really well in my mind, so I have an idea where this is properly going now!**

**Please message me if you have any queries, or review if you have any criticisms. Either way, I hope you've enjoyed the journey so far.**

**-V**


	6. Conflict

The streets of Terra in daylight looked dauntingly new to Rocket, as more details of the neighborhood began to show themselves. Lines of houses walled the street, side by side in their own plain colors, and the concrete pavement felt rough against Rocket's soles, but not so rough that it bothered him.

What bothered Rocket the most wasn't the planet's environment, but rather its inhabitants. _I can see them, and they can see me…They're gonna notice…_

Rocket pulled his hoodie even further over his head and put his hands back in his pockets. The jacket felt loose on Rocket, as did everything else he wore, but Rocket was grateful for the size, and how much of him it covered up. The clothes were an unexpected, yet interesting, change of pace for Rocket, to say the least, and although the raccoon wouldn't admit it to anyone else; it did wonders for his confidence.

Despite his nerves, Rocket paced on, taking a slow breath. _I need to calm down, for Quill's sake at least…_

The raccoon looked up at his taller friend and teammate. To Rocket's relief, but partially horror, Peter didn't seem too confident with himself either. The Terran smiled weakly at his friend, keeping a positive façade present, but both of them knew the danger of what they were doing, and the repercussions of being caught.

_I'm not alone in this, at least. I just need to relax…_

Peter broke the silence, just louder than a whisper. "I'll say this again, thanks for coming along, man."

_Conversation, that's a good start. _"And like I said before, it's no problem." The raccoon rolled his eyes. "It's not like I'm saving your life or anything, you don't need me here to have a good time." _You could have easily picked anyone else, anyway._

"Are you kidding me?" Peter shook his head. "I can't just walk through a place I haven't seen in decades and _not _want to tell somebody about it! I told you, I'd go nuts!"

"Still doesn't mean you need to thank me or anything."

"I think it does."

"No it _doesn't_." _Are we seriously arguing over this?_

"Let's agree to disagree…" Peter stopped, Rocket followed. "This place! Wow, the memories…"

Rocket looked up from the dull concrete. A red painted building with Terran children inside and out, had caught Peter's attention, headed with words Rocket couldn't read. _Terran language, what a pain. _"What about it?"

"It's my elementary school." Peter answered. "I can't remember learning anything from it, aside from the usual History, English and Math, which I sucked at. But there were some good times…Like when my class played dodgeball, or were allowed to listen to music during free time, at least I was good at that!"

Rocket nodded his head in feigned understanding. "Sounds exciting." _I have no idea what you're talking about. _

"It was…" Peter let out a small breath, barely audible over the screaming Terran children. "But man, there were some assholes there too. I remember this one time, some guys killed a baby frog, just for the hell of it, no reason whatsoever! It was the same day when my…" Peter stopped. "Well…"

Rocket was quick to fill in the blanks. "Oh…I see. Shit…" Rocket felt a spike of anger hitting him. "I guess every planet has a couple of assholes in it." _No matter where you flarking go. _"Terra isn't any different."

"No kidding…" Peter gave the school one last look before turning to Rocket again. "There was another place I wanted to show you, somewhere more quiet, hopefully."

_Couldn't agree more. _"Alright, lead the way."

Peter smiled as the promptly continued walking down the footpath, the same direction as before. Rocket faced the ground, eying the movement of Peter's feet and his own. A breeze began to pick up, the sign of early winter becoming more present by the hour. _Maybe we really will freeze our asses off._

Peter continued the small talk. "You know, as a kid I always dreamed of going to space, flying around a spaceship, killing aliens, that kind of stuff. I never truly believed that stuff could happen, not to the extent where I am today, at least, but I still humored myself. If only they could see me now!" Peter made a weak chuckle, nerves still showing.

Rocket dared another glance up at Peter. "You're probably one of the only Terrans to actually see the outside universe, with the limited space travel and all." _Honestly, how do these people get by? _"You must feel pretty special."

"The funny thing is, now, 26 years later, I still can't believe I'm here. After all that time…I mean, freaking _Terra, _man…I never thought I'd live to see it again."

Rocket faced forward, keeping Peter in his peripheral vision. "Well, we're here now…Does it still hold up, after twenty-six years?" _What kinda question is that?_

"Well…" Peter hesitated. "It's certainly different, but…I mean, it's great, but now that I'm here…god, I can't explain it. It doesn't _feel_ like my home, but I still remember living here, when I was little and..." Peter sighed. "I'm not sure what to think, to be honest…Is that weird?"

_How the hell am I supposed to know? _"Returning to a place you've missed all your life, and it's not what you expected? Nah." Rocket returned a weak smile. "But we're stuck here anyway, might as well try to make the best of it." _The amount of times Groot told me that…_

Peter laughed. "I surprised at how optimistic you're being. I expected you to be a lot more cynical about this…"

_I aim to amaze. _"Hey, I can be cheerful when I want to!" Peter laughed again, and Rocket's mood plummeted. _Definitely shouldn't've said that._ "Shut up!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! You just look so…"

_Stupid, immature, weak? _"Don't bother, I know I what I look like, I'm not blind."

Peter's cheerful expression changed, to something Rocket couldn't read. "I was gonna say you looked _nice_."

Rocket stopped walking, and let Peter pass him. "Stop that."

Peter spun around, now with a confused look on his face. "Stop what?"

_You know exactly what. _"Stop freaking lying to me." Rocket muttered, half hoping that Peter didn't hear him.

"I'm no-"

"The hell you aren't!" Rocket raised his voice. "Why else would I need to wear all _this_? Do you think I get drunk for fun?" Rocket recoiled back, _I'm a wreck, even when I have friends. _"Until you guys came along, I've had no-one to trust next to Groot, why do you think that is?"

Rocket didn't give Peter a chance to reply. "We were both _freaks,_ monsters. No matter where we went, it put us in one prison to the next, and even _there _we were ostracized for what we were." _Vermin, Rodent, Road Kill…_"The universe doesn't accept people like me, and they never will, so don't try to tell me what I look like, Quill. I've known for all my life."

"I-..You…" Peter went very quiet, whispering in a volume that even Rocket could barely hear "You have no idea…no idea at all, do you?"

_What are you playing at now? _"What the hell do you mean 'I have no idea'?" _Screw you, Quill._

Peter didn't speak, and Rocket was about to raise his voice when the Terran spoke up, voice wavering with emotion. "You have no idea…how much you mean to me."

Rocket's chest jumped. _He's just saying that, stop listening to him. _But another side took over, too curious to ignore him. "Oh really?"

"Yes really! I…I think you're…" Peter broke eye contact with Rocket to consider something, before staring straight back at him. "I wanna know everything about you too, but…not just as a friend…"

Rocket's mind went blank. "What are you trying to…?"

"I _like _you Rocket. I mean, I like-like you."

Everything around Rocket stopped, as one though fell on top of another. _No you don't. Why would you? I'm a freak. I'm worthless. This is some sick joke. You're playing with me. You're gonna laugh, just like everyone else. I didn't ask to be made. I shouldn't exist. I DON'T DESERVE TO BE LOVED._

"…Rocket?"

"No, you don't." The raccoon muttered weakly before taking off in a sprint, unable to listen to the voice shouting after him.

* * *

**Getting close to the end of this story, which is unfortunately the worst time to announce that I'll be away for about 3-4 weeks, out of the country and everything. Because of this, an update will be long fetched, even by my standards, so i'm very sorry for this.**

**I know how this'll end, and i'll be sure to make it worth the wait for you all. Hang in there, trust me.**

**-V**


	7. Resolve

Rocket's words had only left Peter shocked for a moment, before he took off after his friend. _Things were going so well, and now_ _I've screwed it all up. _Peter was a significant distance behind, realising that Rocket, now on all fours, was a lot faster than he had let on earlier.

"Rocket, wait up!" The Terran continued to call after his companion, who seemed to be ignoring him completely. _I should've expected that reaction, what the hell was I thinking?_

They continued hot pursuit, chasing past and through the empty park Peter planned on showing Rocket. A place in his fondest memories of Earth and his childhood, Peter recalled times spent well with friends, and had planned to do the same with Rocket. _Now I'm gonna lose him, just like how I've lost everything on this damn planet._

Except this time, Peter wasn't the one running away. _If I don't get to him, someone else will...I can't lose him, I WILL NOT lose him. _

Adrenaline kicked in, and the wind picked up speed, as if encouraging Peter to run even faster. As the gap between the two began to close, Rocket took a sharp turn to the right. Peter followed, realising what the Rocket was planning, before the raccoon began climbing up a tree.

_At least he's not running anymore. _"Cmon man," Peter gasped, keeping his breath down. "We can talk this out, no drama required!"

"Piss off!" The reply came from above him. Peter could barely distinguish his friend from the branches that surrounded him, but he didn't need to see Rocket to tell how nervous he was.

_This won't be easy._

"Just..." Peter knew what needed to be said. "Just forget what I said, ok? It was just a compliment, heat of the moment kind of thing. I'm sorry." _For the love of God, please don't be mad at me._

There came no response, as Peter had anticipated. It's the least I deserve, really_. I shouldn't be here, I should just leave him alone. _But as Peter turned to leave the tree, defeat in his mind, another thought came. _No, I can't just leave him here, not out here. Rocket's always been my friend, that's good enough for me._

Peter turned back. _You're too important to lose, Rocket. I'm not giving up that easily. _Peter sat down at the foot of the tree, _déjà vu, _and looked back up. "I'll be right here, if you wanna talk..." _Which I highly doubt, but I have to try. _"And I'm not gonna move unless you do."

For just one moment, Peter thought he heard a reluctant mumble in response. _If I could be so lucky. _Peter listened closely, praying that he could get another reply.

The wind blew harder, and the trees around them began to shake. Peter felt the cold brush through him, but he ignored it, still keeping his attention above him. _I need to break this silence, I need to get through to him. _

Peter brightened himself up, portraying a humoured expression. "I'll be honest, if I had a unit for every stupid thing I've said, we wouldn't even _need _a job. I'd be richer than that goddamn Collector guy!" Peter chuckled half-heartedly. _The sad part is, I'm probably not that far off._

The Terran sighed. "All my life, I've spent more time talking or shooting my way out of a bad situation than into a good one. It's probably why I've never had friends up until a few weeks ago, until I meet you guys; a bunch of dysfunctional lunatics just as crazy as I was." Peter smiled. "We may be the most dysfunctional team in the galaxy, but I mean everything when I say that I care for each and everyone of you." _Especially you._

Peter could feel his chest tighten. _Time to get emotional, I guess. _"I can't afford to lose my best friend to some stupid feeling I have, you matter too damn much to me. All the times I've spent with you are prof of that." Peter closed his eyes firmly shut. _I'm not gonna cry, not now of all times, not in front of him. _"You can choose to believe it or not, but that's the truth." Peter leaned forward after finishing his speech, too nervous to face Rocket in his emotional state.

The silence shared between them could have lasted for hours, but a quite whisper cut through. "I'm sorry."

It struck Peter harder than any taunt or insult Rocket could have came up with. The sincere tone of sadness overwhelmed the Terran with guilt, but also confusion. _Why the hell are you sorry? I screwed up, not you._

"What...I..." Peter's mind began to fail him, as his words fell out clumsily. "I don't understand..."

"I'M FREAKING SORRY, OK?" Rocket shouted back down. "I shouldn't...I can't..." The raccoon sniffed loudly. "I...I need a drink."

_Same here. _"You and me both." Peter sighed. The Terran was relieved to have gotten through to his friend, but Rocket's emotional outburst still troubled him. _I have to keep him close by. _"Wanna come to the bar with me?" Peter asked softly, with a gentle smile to match.

Another sniff. "I'm fine...I'll wait here. Don't worry about me, I'll be ok..."

_No you won't. _"Rocket..." Peter started in a sterner tone, but refrained. _Relax, both of you need to relax, for Rocket's sake. _"Cmon man, it's been forever since we've drunk together! Besides, don't you wanna know what terrans drink? I sure do!" Peter held his smirk. "It'll be fun, _trust me._"

An uncertain rustling of branches followed, before the tentative reply came. "Fine." The raccoon slowly made his way back down the tree, hesitating before making the last step onto the ground. Rocket still wore his jacket, but now it was even tighter than before, covering a good deal of the raccoon's face.

Peter weakened his beaming smile. _Shit, he looks awful. What the hell have I done? _"Alright, time to get ourselves stupidly drunk!"

The raccoon stared the ground down, nodding silently in reply. Peter's heart sank further, as each second of Rocket's depression saddened him more than the last. _I need to make this right, for both our sakes._

Peter nodded firmly with his smile intact, letting his eyes water, troubled yet determined. "Let's go."

* * *

Rocket didn't want to move, but he began walking anyway, each step he took further emphasising how pathetic he felt. The concrete became a common sight for Rocket, and watching his feet, _no, paws, _along the ground depressed him even more.

He barely had the courage to glance up at Peter. _ He looks like shit, all because of me. _The Terran did an even worse job covering his nerves than before, clenching his fists tightly, wet eyes facing furiously forward.

Rocket darted his head back down before Peter could notice. _I can't even look at him for five seconds, let alone talk to him. _Communication was vital, a lesson Rocket became aware of since his friendship with Groot, and even more so with Peter. _Things are only gonna get worse unless I talk to him. Drunk. _

_But what would I even say? _Rocket brooded. _Sorry for being a complete joy-kill? For giving you even more sad memories from your home planet to live by? _

What made things worse was everything that Peter had done for Rocket in return. Some of the best moments of Rocket's life came because of that bumbling Terran; from saving the galaxy to a simple skirmish in a treehouse. No-one made Rocket feel special like Peter did, no-one understood Rocket like Peter did.

More to the point; no-one cared for Rocket like Peter did. _He likes me, and not just in a friendly way either-he...he like-likes me. That's what he said._

Rocket looked back up at his friend tentatively. This time Peter noticed, and gave Rocket one of his saddest, but most sincere smiles he had ever seen, before facing forward again. It was the only confirmation Rocket needed. _He wasn't screwing with me, this ain't a joke..._

_Holy shit._

"This seems like a good place!" Peter nervously interrupted Rocket's thoughts. Both stopped walking, before Peter bravely led the way inside.

It was a modest establishment, as far as bars went, certainly not high class, but Rocket had seen worse places to drink. The bar held a small population, one or two patrons sat at the barstool, the rest of the tables were practically empty.

Peter picked a table in the corner, the furthest away from the entrance. As Rocket sat down on the red leather, Peter stayed standing. "I'll get the drinks, don't worry. You just stay there and...chill."

"Alright." Rocket heard himself mutter, as he watched Peter walk away towards the bar.

_He has a crush on me. Peter flarking Quill has a crush on me. _Rocket stared the table down in contemplation. He could feel his chest tighten. _That's...never happened, ever..._

Rocket looked back at Peter, who was chatting charismatically, with the bartender. _I would never have guessed it either, how could I? I was sure he had a thing with Gam-wait…_

"_I'm not interested in Gamora, not anymore!" _

_Stupid, I'm stupid. _Rocket slumped his head onto the table. _He was telling me right then, all this time he was trying to tell me. I didn't listen to him, I never do. _Guilt struck hard at Rocket's centre. _He poured out his heart to me, made me feel special, like a person. I've done nothing but depress him in return…_

"Now does this look like a bar or what?" Peter's voice launched Rocket into reality, as he clamped two glasses down in front of them. The Terran sat down across from Rocket, and began tapping his fingers on the round table. "Certainly has the smell of one."

Rocket took a sniff. _You can say that again, __I'm feeling tipsy already._ The raccoon nodded and promptly grabbed his glass, eyeing the liquid contained inside.

Peter copied Rocket, grabbing his own glass of alcohol. "Well then," The Terran hesitated, but rose his glass anyway. "Bottoms up!"

Rocket lifted his drinking arm, but for the first time in years, he was anxious to do so._ It's funny, I wanted to learn everything about you. Now, I guess it's time you learn everything about me. _"Bottoms up." Rocket replied, before he downed his first drink.

_He doesn't deserve the shit I give him, but I'm too damn selfish to let him go. _His last sober thought.

* * *

**After over three weeks, i'm back with another one here for you guys! I hope it was worth the wait, and look forward to what just might be the last chapter. Until then, i'll see you later.**

**-V**


	8. Repair

The glass of Jack Daniel's held an unusual taste for Peter. Compared to the typical Xanderian liquor, it wasn't nearly as colourful as the Terran would have preferred, but the alcoholic kick was still there.

It took one glass before Rocket began to relax, and only two drinks when Rocket's mood took a positive turn. Time passed as tension eased from his posture, and a buzzed smile began to form on his features.

After the third dose of whiskey, the raccoon began to speak, with an intoxicated slur. "You know, I didn't think yer humie drinks could get me drunk…But oh man…!" Rocket shook his head dramatically. "This is some strong stuff!"

Peter made a small laugh in return. "Yeah, who knew?" He continued to keep an eye on Rocket, maintaining his sobriety after his first drink. _I didn't come here to binge drink, not today. Just a few drinks to make things right, nothing more. _

"I don't see many empty glasses on your side of the table, Petey-boy." Rocket made a buzzed smirk. "What's the matter, can't handle yer own planet's whiskey?"

_I can't handle the shit I say when I drink. _Peter held up his hands in defence. "I think I'm gonna take it easy this time, buddy. Maybe you should too…"

"Bullshit, I'm fine. I can barely feel anything." The raccoon burped. "Waiter!"

_I don't think so. _"Rocket, you're drunk, you don't need any more. Trust me." Peter kept a firm stance. "Besides, we gotta get back to Groot before dark, or else he'll start to worry…" _And we can't do that if one of us gets too hung-over to walk. _

There was a silence, as Rocket gave Peter a distant stare, almost as if he hadn't heard his friend. Peter was about to repeat himself again until the raccoon made a reluctant sigh. "Fiiine. No waiter then." Rocket slumped onto the table.

It was after another pause that Rocket looked up gave Peter a lazy smile, his head still resting on the table. "You're responsible when ya' need to be Pete. I like that. I like that a lot…"

Peter offered a weak laugh. _I can't believe it, he actually listened! _"Tell that to Gamora, maybe she'll believe it coming from you."

Rocket laughed even harder, as the alcohol lifted his humor. The raccoon had to take a moment to relax before he continued. "Nah man, seriously though, I mean it...Yer a good leader, you don't deserve the shit you get…" Rocket suddenly spoke quietly. "You don't deserve having people like me around…I mean…"

_Hang on, what?! _Peter cut his friend off. "Rocket no, don't be ridiculous! Why would you say something like that?"

The raccoon widened his eyes, before retreating his gaze to the side. "Well, you know…I always make things depressing and shit…When I'm in a good mood, I treat everyone like shit, when I'm in a bad mood, I treat myself like shit, and then you guys feel shit because of me feeling like shit and I don't know…I DON'T KNOW!"

Peter was taken aback. _Shit…I mean…Shit…_"Rocket, that's not true, you should know that by now…" Peter spoke in a gentle tone. "We understand how you feel, we all do, and that's why we're your friends! That's why we care about you," Peter took a breath before taking a bigger risk. "That's why _I _care about you."

Rocket looked back to Peter with damp eyes. "I…" The raccoon looked down to the side. "We should go…"

_You've done it again, idiot. How the hell could you ruin drinking with Rocket?_ Peter nodded understandingly. "Alright, that's totally fine. Let's bail."

Peter stood up from his seat, and Rocket jumped off his. Peter paid the bartender, who gave him a bored nod in return. _Even the atmosphere here is depressing, maybe I should've had more to drink…_

When they stepped outside the bar, Peter could swear that the sunlight had dimmed. _How long were we in there…? _

Peter heard his friend mumble "Shit…" beside him, before the raccoon sat himself down on the side pavement, covering his eyes.

_That's not good. _Peter knelt down next to Rocket. "You ok, man?" _Obviously not, dumbass._

"Yeah yeah, I'm fine, just…" Rocket removed his hands, squinting painfully at the ground. "Flarking head is killing me right now…Can't see a thing..."

_Shit-Three glasses and Rocket's on the ground-the alcohol really must have a kick here. _"You wanna find someplace to lie down or…"

"No!" Rocket snapped back. "I told you I was fine, you think I'm lying to you or something?!"

_That's what I'd do if I felt like shit. _"Rocket, I only…"

"I know, I know." The raccoon avoided Peter's eyes. "Shit, I didn't mean to snap at you, you don't deserve that…" His tone weakened. "I'm an idiot, a lying, stupid, ungrateful idiot."

_Is that what he really thinks? _Peter carefully put his hand on Rocket's shoulder. The raccoon nearly flinched away, but relaxed to Peter's touch. "That's not true, you know that." Peter spoke softly. "Besides even at your worst, you're still way smarter than I am!" Peter pulled a sheepish smile to emphasize his point.

That only made his friend tense up more. "Yer not stupid, I don't know why you keep saying shit like that, but it ain't true…Yer smart Pete. Smart, kind, funny…" Rocket's voice suddenly went soft, as he looked Peter in the eyes, forming a nervous smile. "_Nice…_"

Peter's breathing hitched, chest tightening. _No, no freaking way. _Peter returned a similar smile, and held out his hand. "C'mon, Groot must be worried sick by now, and it's getting cold…"

Rocket stared at the hand for a second, then nodded. "Yeah, you're right, we should get moving…" He took Peter's hand, but didn't move. "Uh…Hey Pete? Can I ask something of ya?"

"Sure buddy, what is it?"

Rocket began twiddling his thumbs. "Would it be ok if you…kinda carried me back?"

The question was a curveball, an unexpected one at that. "Are you-you serious?"

"Yeah, I guess…" The raccoon shrugged. "I couldn't look as stupid as I would if I walked. Otherwise, I might trip and break my neck or somethin', and then you'd be all sad and stuff and then…"

"Ok, I get ya." Peter interrupted the rant. Neither of them moved. "Uh…How do you wanna do this?"

"I dunno, yer the sober one…Ah flark it, hang on." Peter barely had time to protest before the raccoon leaped onto his right shoulder, claws gripping firmly into his back. _Shit, that hurt._

"Woah, Rocket, mind the leather, mind the leather!" Peter struggled to keep his balance, but he managed to stand himself up, barely.

"Hey, quit moving, you'll knock me off!" Rocket pulled himself up onto the perch of his friend's shoulder, sitting himself on the back of Peter's neck, legs hanging down both sides. It almost sent a chill down Peter's spine. Rocket patted his friend's head. "There, ya see? This works out just fine!"

_I can't believe I'm doing Groot's job right now. _Peter began walking, trying to laugh through the bizarre development in events. _Alcohol really does wonders to fix a friendship, I guess. _

"Wait until you're sober, then maybe you'll change your mind." The realization hit Peter hard. _He'll hate me again by tomorrow, after the hangover._

"Nah, this is fine. Beats walking anyway."

_Beats walking drunk at least. _"Your funeral man…" Peter hid a frown under his amused tone, thankful that Rocket wasn't able to see it.

The walk back home was as awkward for Peter as it was amusing for Rocket. "Ya know, we should do shit like this more of'n…One on one, me an' you-but next time we should just kick some ass, just like we always do. I'll have a gun, you'll have a gun…" Peter let his friend ramble on, trying to enjoy the talkative atmosphere while it lasted.

_Maybe I can find a better way to apologize to him tomorrow, without getting him drunk._

They made it back into the neighborhood when Peter felt a knocking on top of his head. "Hey, Pete!"

It startled him out of his mind blank. "Yeah, what is it?"

"Uh…you didn't hear what I just said, did you…?"

Peter shook his head. "Sorry man, totally blanked out there. What's up?"

"Ah...nothing…wasn't important anyway…"

"You sure?"

A pause, only just short enough for Peter to take note of it. "Yeah I'm sure, thanks."

"Alright…" Their walk continued on, and neither of them spoke a word.

It was only until they reached the backyard that Peter worked up the courage to speak again. "Here's our stop, I guess. Ready to turn in?" _Not that I need to ask._

Rocket only responded with a quiet "yeah", before dismounting his friend. It was only when Peter made for the treehouse when Rocket spoke slightly louder. "Wait."

That one word stopped Peter completely in his tracks. The Terran turned, Rocket had that same timid look again.

"Pete I…I'm sorry about earlier, I…I've been a shit friend, for a while now…"

"Rocket, for the last time-"

"Shut up!" Rocket shouted, not aggressively, but nervously. "Let me finish, ok?"

Peter nodded. "Ok, I'm sorry."

That only made his friend shout more. "No, no! Stop saying you're sorry, it's not your goddam fault! Honestly, are you even listening to me? _I don't hate you…_I could never hate you…not ever, don't you realize that by now?"

Rocket took a step towards Peter. "Ever since Ronan, you've been nothing but kind to me. Every little thing you do makes my day, even when it annoys the crap outta me…But dammit, I don't care if it does, cause…you mean something to me…"

_Oh my god, oh my freaking god…_

"I know what yer thinking, and no, I'm not saying this not 'cause I'm drunk or anything. I'm not used to anything like this, was hoping some booze could make me brave or somethin', heh. But I still mean it, so don't you dare say otherwise!" Rocket took a second to calm down, then took a deep breath. "That's why I was wondering if, ah….If you wanted to hang out…again…like on a _date_ or something..."

Peter's mind blanked again, but a second later everything hit him. Understanding made him feel stupid, but he didn't care anymore, nothing else mattered at that moment.

The only reply Peter could come up with was "Really?"

The raccoon rolled his eyes. "God, _yes_. Do I have ta say it again? I. LIKE. YOU. TOO. Hell if I didn't, you would have driven me crazy ages ago…"

Peter didn't care how sheepish he looked, his smile widened, relief overwhelming him. _Holy shit, holy flarking shit._ "I guess that's just something I have to aim for…"

Rocket reached up and grabbed Peter's hand. "I don't wanna lose ya, Pete, I really don't...I'm gonna be shit at this, I know I will, cause yer the first guy…hell the first person that I….But I'll try my best, ok? We can make this work…right?"

Peter grasped Rocket's hand tightly, then pulled him into an embrace, kneeling down on the ground. "Yes, of course we can. We can do freaking anything, you and me…" The Terran felt his eyes water, but didn't care about that either.

Rocket returned the embrace, gripping Peter's back. "Yeah, me and you…" The raccoon yawned. "Rest…we should rest first…yeah, rest is good."

_God, yes. _"Couldn't agree with you more." Without saying another word, Peter carried Rocket back to their treehouse, holding him close.

Groot acknowledged them both with an "I am Groot" and gave Peter a subtle nod to match.

_He knew all along, about Rocket, didn't he? _Peter smiled at the plant. "Thanks man."

Rocket stirred. "Huh? What for?"

"Ah, nothing, don't worry about it. Thinking out loud..."

Peter settled Rocket down in a sleeping bag, and lay next to him, becoming the big spoon. _Yeah, definitely need to do this more often. _He took a look at Rocket one last time, who already had his eyes closed, before he too nodded off.

* * *

**Up next: The Last Chapter AKA The Epilogue. I'll see you all then!**

**-V**


	9. Epilogue

It was the best sleep Rocket could ever ask for, as the warmth that cuddled behind him had made that certain. Opening his eyes, Rocket noted that he was smiling, probably a very _stupid_ smile, but that didn't seem to matter either. Emotion overwhelmed him internally, but it felt good, addicting even. Nothing in the world could harm him here, and nothing in the world could persuade him to move.

The only damper on his mood was the hangover that hit him a second later.

Rocket's head began to throb. _Shit, how much did I drink exactly? _The raccoon began shaking his head, hoping it would somehow get rid of the headache-but it only hurt more when he did. _That's right, three flarking drinks of, what, Jacobs or something? _

"Crap…" Rocket muttered as quietly as possible, looking over his shoulder to check on his partner, who began to stir slowly. _Don't wake up, please don't wake up._

A few seconds passed, but the Terran woke up anyway, opening his eyes slowly. "Hey Rocky…"

_Shit._ "Heya Pete…" _Goddammit this hurts. _"How's it goin'?"

Peter sat up, broad smile and all. "I feel fantastic, but…" He frowned, giving Rocket a once over. "You alright?"

Rocket turned away from Peter. "I'm fine, I just…" Nausea came out of nowhere, gathering with his headache-making his stomach stir. "I gotta go." The raccoon bolted outside the treehouse, climbing down to the bottom of the ladder to sit down. He clutched his stomach. _It'll be a miracle if I don't throw up, wouldn't that be a great start to the day?_

A voice pursued behind him, of course it belonged to Peter. "Hey! Rocket, what's up?" Rocket turned his head up to face the Terran, and he understood immediately. "Oh…" Peter jumped down, presumably to get a better look. "Bad hangover?"

_What dy'a think, smartass? _"Oh no, I always wakeup with the urge ta vomit…"

Peter ignored the comment and put a hand on Rocket's shoulder. "Just wait here, I'll go out to get you some water, ok? Gotta get you hydrated..."

_Can't argue with that. _"Yeah sure, thanks…" The aching struck again, and the raccoon firmly shut his eyes. "Don't take too long, 'kay?"

"Yep!" With that, the Terran sprinted off, and Rocket began a mental timer. _If you're over ten minutes, yer dead. Heh._

Peter didn't take that long, thankfully, only about eight minutes and forty-seven seconds later. He strolled back into the yard, carrying a plastic bag of food in one hand, and a six pack of plastic water bottles in the other. "So, guess you're gonna give up drinking after this?"

That somehow made Rocket grin, as he grabbed his water. "Oh bite me, not like you would have lasted any longer yourself…"

"I don't know…"

"You wanna try me?" _What the hell am I doing?_

The Terran smirked back. "Maybe later, but I don't want you to be all hung-over when we do. C'mon, let's drink." He raised his water bottle in a toast.

Rocket raised his own, rolling his eyes, and they both clunk together. The cool water passed through his lips, and he could already feel a significant improvement in his head. The raccoon grabbed another bottle. _More, gimme more._

By his third bottle, the refreshment had the better of him, his head no longer felt groggy, but the soreness remained. "Thanks." He managed.

"No problem, buddy." Peter smiled as he threw his empty water across the yard. "You feeling any better?"

Rocket made a shrug. "I've had worse, I suppose. But I still like an absolute jackass-I mean, _dammit_, I made an ass of myself, didn't I?"

"Well…" Peter hesitated. _Of course he would, he's not the asshole like I am. _"Maybe a little bit." Peter smiled, and ruffled the fur on Rocket's head. "But who cares? You seemed pretty happy at the time, at least…"

_Courtesy of my bullshitting skills. _"I wasn't. Actually I was pretty scared shitless, to be honest." Rocket let out a sigh. "I know I shouldn't've been, but still. It wasn't easy…telling you that, I mean. Not really my forte, telling people shit…"

Peter pulled Rocket closer. "Well I'm glad you did. In fact, I was pretty terrified myself-I thought we weren't gonna be friends by the time we left Terra, after what I said…"

The guilt struck Rocket harder than his hangover did. "Flark, I'm sorry Pete, I didn't mean to-"

"Hey don't worry about it!" Peter faced Rocket with his typical beaming smile. "Everything's fine, now we can finally get back to this vacation thing!"

Rocket couldn't help but smile back, uplifted by the Terran's optimism. "Yeah, that'd be nice."

Neither of them said anything, as silence filled the atmosphere. Only a few seconds later Peter sheepishly spoke up. "That reminds me, what _should _we do? We have like, almost a week left here…"

Rocket blinked. "I dunno, it's _your _planet."

"But it's _our _vacation! C'mon man, we gotta think of something…"

Rocket's head began to strain again, causing the raccoon to grab another bottle. "Urgh, flark. I don't think my head can handle anything exciting right now…"

Peter gave him a look over. "You are looking much better, but maybe we shouldn't risk going out today…Just to be safe."

"So what…we're just gonna sit here and…talk?"

Peter shuffled closer to Rocket, cheesy as always. "Guess so, is that a problem?"

Rocket rested his head on Peter's side, letting the Terran hold him close. "Not at all."

The day passed just like that. Rocket never would have thought he could keep up a conversation for so long, not until that day.

Peter spoke with such a carefree tone, it was relaxing to listen to. "You know, I never expected I'd find…you know, _someone_ in my life, not with the life I live."

Rocket scoffed at that. "You're kidding, right? I mean, handsome guy like you…Of course you'd find someone…" _I just never would have dared think it was me._

"That's not what I mean. Sure, I _met _some people, but…No-one I could certainly say 'yes, I wanna spend the rest of my days with them'…" Peter gave another one of his charming, dumbass smiles. "Not until I got to know _you_, of course."

Rocket almost made a groan at how corny the comment was, but heat still rose to his face. "You…you must be insane, wanting to spend the rest of your days with me. What if I shot you or something?"

"Eh, I'll take the risk. Besides, I'm the one who plays music twenty-four seven, max volume. Chances are, you'll shoot yourself first." Peter laughed.

"…Your music's not that bad…" Rocket mumbled, he didn't dare state it any louder.

"Sorry, what was that?"

"Screw off, you heard me. I like your music, ok? It's …catchy…"

The Terran blinked in disbelief. "Wow…I had no idea…"

"Is that really the most shocking thing you've discovered about me, in recent events?"

"Kinda is, actually."

"Bullshit."

Peter laughed even harder, and soon enough, Rocket started laughing with him.

_Yeah, I could definitely get used to this. _

The late afternoon stole on them quickly, as the chill of the wind forced them back into the treehouse, and into the warmth of their sleeping bag. As evening closes in, Rocket enjoyed a feast of Terran snacks, downed by his last bottle of water. _That should kill the liquor. _

Same as last night, Peter snuggled behind Rocket, only this time, Rocket dared to hold Peter's hand. It felt right. _This better be a thing after we leave Terra… _

That's when the thought hit Rocket. "Shit, how're we gonna tell everyone about…_this_..?"

Peter opened his mouth, but hesitated to speak. "Uh…well I think _Groot _already knows…"

"Obviously, that tree knows _everything_…I'm talking about Gamora and Drax, what the hell are they gonna think?"

"I…she…" Peter made a small laugh, much weaker than before. "Gamora…kinda already knows…"

_What?! _"You're kidding me."

"I'm not. In fact, she was kinda going for us…you know, hooking up. Why do you think she left us here together, by _ourselves?_"

_Of-flarking-course…_"Aw crap…" Rocket would have felt relieved, if he didn't feel so _stupid_ for not realizing it. "Well, it makes things easier for us, at least…"

"Yeah, chances are Drax already knows too. But hey, at least they won't hate us or anything!"

"Yeah, I guess that's always a plus..."

"Don't worry about it we'll be fine! We can do anything remember?"

And just like that, the Terran kissed him, right on his left check, without saying another word. A second later it registered into Rocket's senses, and his chest exploded internally. _I…what…he just…_His mind failed him. Rocket didn't know what else to do, but to relax, take a deep breath and fall asleep-smiling to himself like an idiot.

* * *

"Hey, I just had an idea for today!" Peter murmured behind Rocket, a few hours after the sun rose.

Rocket sat up, interest already peaked. "Yeah, what?"

The Terran shot up with more energy. "Music! We can go find a record store or something, and get some new tunes for the _Milano_! It'd be awesome!" Peter's smile was hard to ignore. "What do you say? Up for another outing?"

"I am Groot!" Their teammate chorused enthusiastically.

_Hell flarking yeah!_ "Sure." Rocket shrugged, nonchalant. _Calm down, keep it cool… _"Where do you wanna go?"

"Uh…a _record store_…?"

_Shit. _"Right…" Rocket kicked himself. _Were you even listening? No, of course you weren't. _"Only heard that last part, heh. Sorry…" _Even when I'm sober, I'm a klutz…God I'm hopeless._

Peter just laughed and ruffled his fur. "Hey, it happens man, especially to me. I just hide it better..."

"Hey!" Rocket barely had the dignity to face him. "Not all of us can be world-class charmers like you!"

"I don't know..." Peter leaned into Rocket's ear to whisper. "I think you're pretty damn charming…"

Rocket paused, then scoffed. "I've heard better jokes than that, Pete."

"Hey, I'm being serious!"

"…You are?"

"Yes! You're funny, really damn smart and…do I really have to explain myself?"

_He's too good for me. _"Guess not…."

Peter nudged him playfully. "Then relax, don't beat yourself up. C'mon, let's head out! Let's have _fun_."

Rocket smiled back, having no choice but to lift his mood. _I'm not gonna screw things up, not again. _"Sure." The raccoon leaped up, mounting excitement mixing with childish nervousness motivated him sensibly.

Within the span of a minute, they both changed into a better set of clothes. Rocket kept the leather jacket, but experimented with a cobalt shirt and cargo trousers. A pile of dirty clothes stood in the corner of the room, a collection of dirt and grime gathered from yesterday. _Let's hope the Milano has a laundromat…_

Peter looked the same as he always did, _handsome, _as the purple shirt suited the classic red jacket he normally wore. Rocket only allowed himself one glance at Peter while he was changing shirts. His heartbeat doubled. _Flarking hell…God, keep it together, you horndog. Focus. _

With their preparation done, they left their safe house once again. Rocket held Groot's pot firmly. "Hey buddy, can you try not to move around too much? Gotta avoid attention, ok?"

"I am Groot!"

"I know that! Just wanted to make sure…"

"I am Groot."

"Shut up!" Rocket pulled up his hood, ignoring Peter snickering in front of him.

It took them almost an hour of finding the shopping district, getting lost-followed by the subsequent arguments, before they finally found the semblance of a music store.

Peter took the first step inside, Rocket followed reluctantly behind, keeping his head low as usual. Shelves upon shelves of what Rocket assumed was the "records" filled his peripheral vision. Rocket picked up other voices, surrounding them. _Place must be popular._

"Woah..." Peter exclaimed. "These records, these _bands_ are all…different."

"Well of course they are." Rocket interjected. "It's been over two decades, right?"

"Yeah I know, but…what the hell should we buy? You think I should ask some-?"

"Hi! Yes, here I am! Name's Mich!" A cheery voice, female, answered fast as a bullet, causing both Terran and Raccoon to jump. "Can I help you?"

"Crap that was fast!" Peter didn't hide his surprise.

"Oh, sorry!" The voice belonging to Mich exclaimed, causing Rocket to look up. She looked very young, and very new to her job. "I'm like that sometimes, when I'm really excited with something, I just get all this _energy_ and just want to meet people and…"

"Ok, ok, it's fine! No problem!" Peter interrupted. "We were just wondering if you had any recommendations for music, something for cassete, maybe…?"

The young woman calmed herself down dutifully remembering her job. "Sure, we should have a section for that somewhere…Oh, over there! Follow me!" She darted ahead.

Peter gave Rocket a shrug, smiling. "She seems nice enough…"

Rocket made a smirk. "Yeah, she seems just as crazy about music as you are, so that must be a good sign..."

"Hey, I'm not _that _crazy!"

"Uh…"

"Hey, the tapes are over here!" Mich called from a few meters away. "You guys still wanna see them?"

"Yeah, we're coming!"

They came to a monument of disorganized boxes, stacked on top of one another. Each one had different words plastered on them that Rocket, for the life of him, couldn't read. _Damn language barrier…_

"Here we go! It's a bit messy I know, but that's all the cassettes we have." Mich gave them a polite nod. "If you two need anything, give me a call, ok?"

Peter gave her a nod. "Sure." And with that, the employee turned, setting her sights on another unsuspecting customer.

Rocket huffed. "That chick's gonna explode if she doesn't calm herself down..."

Peter laughed. "Yeah, but hey, if she's enjoying her job, who are we to stop her?" The Terran turned to the shrine of music. "Now, where do you think they'll have the 70's…?"

With that, Peter dove into the pile of boxes, ravenously pulling out dozens of cassettes, meticulously comparing and checking each one with another.

Rocket stood aside, feeling useless. _I can't read any of it, and even if I did...Hell, I don't even remember what I researched earlier, I was so damn tired afterwards…_

"So…anything look good…?"

After much silence, Peter made his decision. "Screw it, we'll take the lot."

Rocket blinked. "Wait, all of it?"

"Yeah, why not?"

"I am Groot!" Groot whispered in agreement.

"It's just…" Rocket stared into the box. "There're so many…Are we seriously gonna go listen to all these?"

"Hey, why not? I thought you wanted some variance…"

"But…" _They're so MANY. _"Oh what the hell, I guess you're right..."

"Aren't I always?"

"Don't push it."

Fortunately, the boxes were light enough to carry to the counter, even with Groot's pot precariously balanced on Rocket's pile. Sure enough, it was Mich who mounted the register. "Hey, you guys find anything?"

"Yep." Peter tried to make a gesture with his hands full.

Mich typed the numbers into the register. "By the way, I think you two make a _great _pair!"

Rocket almost lost his balance, his brain stuttered. _What the hell did she just…?_

Peter was stumbling with his words. "Uh…ha ha, what?! What makes you say tha-…?"

Mich's smile only grew further. "Hey, it's ok, I think it's awesome! Sorry, I'm a hopeless romantic, I tend to notice these things...But you two go enjoy yourselves, ok?"

Rocket felt relieved seeing Peter smile. "Thanks. I…I'm glad you understand." The Terran paid for the pile of cassettes, and they both made their way out of the store, carrying three boxes each.

They were almost out of the door when Peter called behind him. "Hey Mich, don't get yourself _too _psyched up on your job, alright?"

Mich laughed. "Will do, _Star-Lord_."

They both stopped dead in their tracks, nearly dropping their collection of cassettes. Rocket looked to Peter. "Did she say what I thought she just…"

"Nah, no way…" Peter shook his head. "Not possible, just hearing things." The Terran began walking out the door, his faster than normal.

Rocket glanced back over his shoulder. _Who is she, really? _Mich gave Rocket a sincere nod, eyes glistening, before returning to her work.

Rocket stood there for a second, until something hit him. He took off after his friend. "Hey Pete, wait up!"

"What?" Peter's voice was more agitated, as he stopped again.

"You think we should…you know, go back and talk to her? I mean…" Rocket thought about it more and more. _It can't just be a coincidence._ "Maybe she knows something, before you left Terra?"

Peter only glanced behind him. "I doubt it, never knew anyone named Mich. She's too young anyway…"

"But she called you _Star-Lord_."

"No she didn't! She couldn't have…I…It's not possible." Peter dropped his boxes and finally turned to face Rocket. "It's been _26 years_, Rocket. I…I don't have anyone left from here…they're all dead."

_Shit…_Rocket put down his cassettes. "You-you sure? I mean, surely…"

"Yes I'm certain!" Peter snapped back. "The only people who cared about me back then were my relatives. My _old _relatives, and Mom…" The Terran shook his head once more. "Even if she did know me, somehow…I can't…" Peter held himself back, emotion trapped in his voice.

Rocket wanted to shoot himself. _I've ruined things again, haven't I?_ "I…I can understand that...Shit Pete, I didn't mean to-"

"No," Peter took a deep breath, calming himself down. "It's fine…just right now, I gotta move on, you know? I've got a new bunch of people that care about me, cliché as that sounds…Hell, I got _you.._.You think I'd give that up for any of this?"

Rocket didn't have a response. "I,uh…"

"Of course I wouldn't, ya dummy!" Peter smiled, giving Rocket a quick embrace, before picking up his half of the cassettes again. "Come on, let's get this stuff back…"

The raccoon gave a weak nod, and grabbed his boxes. "Ok…" They walked the rest of the way back, side by side, without another word.

_You selfless bastard…even when you're upset you're still kind to me. I've always taken that for granted, haven't I? Me, a stupid ungrateful frea-no, not that. I'm not a freak anymore, not when I'm with you. You didn't just make me feel special, you did so much more…you made me feel normal. I'm not a monster anymore…I'm…I'm a person, a goddamn person!_

"Hey Rock…" Peter's voice broke the raccoon out of his thoughts. "You ok there?"

"Huh? Uh, nothing's wrong…" It was only then when Rocket realized he had tears in his eyes. "Just…sun's a little bright, you know?"

"I am Groot…" Groot tried to reassure his friend. _Damned plant knows me too well._

"Rocket…."

"It's nothing really, nothing's wrong…." Rocket sniffed, then threw back his best smile. "Never felt better…Honest!" _And it's true, for once in my life…_

As soon as they got back to the treehouse, they both stored their new collection of cassettes in another corner in the treehouse, opposite their clothes.

It was then when Rocket let himself break down. "God dammit, Pete!" He almost tackled the Terran to the ground, embracing him harder than he thought possible. Rocket didn't care what anyone else thought, not even himself. _I need you….please. Don't let go of me, don't you fucking dare._

"Rocket, hey it's ok man! Let it all out…" Rocket could feel Peter gripping him tightly, rubbing his back soothingly. "Everything's fine, we're all gonna be fine, ok?"

_I know. _Rocket, moved his head to face Peter. _That's why I love you._ Without thinking anymore, Rocket closed his eyes, and leaned forward, closing the gap between one partner and another.

It was like nothing he'd ever experienced before, brief but powerful. Rocket pulled away as quick as he'd leaned in, reading Peter's face desperately. It certainly caught the Terran off guard, as Peter gave Rocket a surprised expression.

A second later, Peter trumped Rocket's fears by kissing him back. This time there was more passion behind each movement. Rocket had no idea what he was doing, he didn't think Peter did either-their differences took some getting used to on both parts. None of that mattered anyway, as Rocket embraced the warmth and emotion of it all, intoxicating him in a state of bliss.

This time Peter was the one to pull away. "So you think it's safe to say that I love you?"

Rocket laughed like an idiot, wiping a hand over his eyes to get a better view of his partner. "Love ya too, smartass."

* * *

The next few days passed for both Peter and Rocket faster than they would have hoped.

Their new found treasury of cassette tapes proved an interesting way to pass the time, opening them up into a vast world of music. None of the boxes were sorted into any genre, or time period for that matter, so they had no choice but to listen to each cassette individually on Peter's Walkman.

Peter recognized a few artists on the tapes, even some from his mother's mixtapes, but the majority of their collection became uncharted water for the both of them. Peter found himself a liking to some of the Country tracks, much to Rocket's disagreement, but didn't so much enjoy any of the modern Electro-styled music, again to Rocket's disagreement.

"What do ya mean, it's too fake?"

"I meant, they don't have any singer, no guitar, nothing! Everything is just made by some machine!" Peter protested. "It's too repetitive!

"Oh, like all of your country songs don't sound the same…?"

"No, they don't!"

Fortunately, both of them found common ground with Rock, with a decent collection of older bands like Queen and Dire Straits becoming fond reminders of Peter's childhood. Jazz became hit or miss for the both of them-some songs had them near to the point of dancing, while others seemed to last a bit too long.

They only got through a half of the cassettes before they resolved to listen to the rest of them later-once they left Terra.

On the morning of their final day, they laid in the backyard grass together, close together as usual, observing the blue clouded sky.

Peter made himself deliver the bad news. "Gamora told me that she'd pick us up in about an hour. Anything else you wanna do?"

Rocket barely moved. "What more could we possibly do around here?" The raccoon suddenly gave a gleeful grin. "Unless you feel like getting shit-faced drunk again…?"

Peter had the dignity to laugh. "Oh god, no." Amazingly enough, Peter could still recall the events of the second time they went out drinking. The bars were a lot more energized at night, more people buzzed around, and more importantly, more alcohol to go around.

Peter knew he owed it to himself to try his own planet's liquor, and settled for a straight few shots of vodka. Only an hour later Rocket had to drag him home, drunk and half-conscious.

"I couldn't put you through that again..." Peter felt sheepish just remembering it. _Dammit, I was supposed to be the responsible drinker, wasn't I? _

"Hey, listening to the shit you said? Carrying you was almost worth it." The raccoon cracked a cocky smirk. "Good thing Groot wasn't there to hear ya say it-you'd be a bad influence on him…"

"Oh, like you have the mouth of a saint?"

"Ok, point taken…" Rocket raised his hands. "But next time, we do it on the _Milano_. You, me, a bottle of liquor…"

_Absolutely. _"We'd have a bed to pass out onto, at least…"

"Exactly! Whaddya say, wanna do it tonight?"

"Sounds good to me...If you wanna lose."

"Flark off, you got wasted too!"

Peter laughed. "Well, I guess we have to settle the score then!"

"You're damned right we should!" It made Peter glad to see Rocket so excited. _I don't think I've ever seen him this happy before. Hell, how long has it been since either of us were this happy? _

Rocket stirred a moment later. "Hey, Pete?"

"Yeah?"

"I-uh-I don't know if I've said this enough but…Thank you, for all of this…"

_I should be thanking you, really. _"Hey, don't worry about it! It's been fun, hasn't it?"

"Yeah…should do it again sometime…a different planet maybe..."

_Couldn't agree more. _

Neither of them wanted to say another word, for risk of ruining the moment. Peter held Rocket tightly. _I needed this, I needed all of this…_

Time flew by as they lay there, feeling each other's heartbeats and listening to the sound of a fresh wind, mixing with the echo of a spaceship engine not too far away.

* * *

**There we go, the epilogue is finished! It's been quite a journey, and hopefully one you've enjoyed as much as I have! **

**I'm not gonna make a really long rant or anything, but if you have any questions or criticisms, feel free to PM me or review-I'll make sure to respond when I can!**

**Until then, thanks for reading!  
****-V****  
**


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